Jared du Toit changed the dynamics of the Canadian Open Saturday when he stood over a 40-foot eagle putt at the 18th hole.
If he made it, he’d vault to eight-under par and earn a spot with 54-hole leader Brandt Snedeker in Sunday’s final group.
The 21-year-old senior-to-be at Arizona State calmly rolled his ball on a perfect line to the hole, moments later it slammed into the cup and the crowd sent up a roar they could probably have heard in nearby Toronto.
“I have no idea,” du Toit said after he posted 70 and slotted himself with Snedeker, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour. “I’ve never been there, I’m looking forward to it. I’m just here having fun.”
“I want him to have a great day,” the gracious Snedeker said of his Sunday amateur partner. Snedeker shot 66 to get to nine under and du Toit’s eagle got him into the house at eight-under before overnight co-leader Dustin Johnson finished with birdie to join the young Canadian at eight-under.
“He’ll have 15,000 people cheering for him,” Snedeker added. “It’ll be great to play with him, the Canadian fans are passionate about golf. He’ll be the crowd favorite in our group. Regardless, I’ve got Dustin right behind me. I’m going to have to play a great round of golf.”
A Canadian hasn’t won the event since 1954 when Pat Fletcher took the title.
Steve Wheatcroft posted the week’s low score, a 64 that jumped him to seven-under along with Alex Cejka.
Luke List, who started the day tied for the lead with Johnson, had a horrible day and the resulting 77 dropped to one-under par.
Defending champion Jason Day’s 69 left him tied for 28th at two-under par.
