Emory Dominates, Leads by Two
DUNROBIN, Ontario — Despite the wet and windy conditions at Eagle Creek Golf Club, Bryce Emory, the 33-year-old veteran, played a flawless game of golf, shooting a 6-under 65 to climb to the top of the Commissionaires Ottawa Open leaderboard. Emory now leads by two shots over Devon Bling and three ahead of Thomas Longbella and Derek Oland.
Emory, who is currently No. 31 on the Fortinet Cup standings, was pleasantly surprised by the weather conditions, which turned out to be not as severe as he had anticipated. He attributed his successful round to his excellent performance off the tee, having missed only one fairway out of his 24 non-par-3 tee shots.
Bling Shines Despite the Rain
Devon Bling followed his first-round 65 with a 66 to secure second place. He found the rainy conditions more challenging but was able to adjust his game accordingly. After a bogey at No. 12, Bling made a comeback with a 25-foot, downhill putt for a birdie at No. 13, the first of three consecutive birdies. Despite another bogey at No. 16, Bling finished with a par-birdie to sit just behind Emory.
Notable Performances
John Pak had the best bounce-back performance on day two. After opening with an even-par 71 Thursday, Pak fired a second-round, tournament-best 62, placing him tied for fifth.
Eric Lilleboe extended his Tour-best made-cut streak with a late rally. He made two birdies over his final four holes to get to 2-under, making the cut on the number. He’s tied for 59th.
Looking Ahead
With two more days of play to go, Emory is aware that there’s still a lot of work to be done. “You have to make birdies out here on this Tour. I have to stay aggressive, give myself some (birdie) looks and hopefully have some putts drop. We’ll see where it goes,” he said.
The players will continue to battle it out at the Eagle Creek Golf Club over the weekend, with the final round set to take place on Sunday, July 23, 2023.
