by Al Campbell
TORONTO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- New Zealander Ryan Fox and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre moved to the top of the leaderboard during second-round play of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday to share a two-stroke lead at the national championship.
Through 36 holes at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Fox (64) and MacIntyre (66) were deadlocked at 10-under 130.
American Joel Dahmen (65) was third at two shots off the pace. England's David Skinns, the overnight leader, was a stroke further back after a 71, tied for equal fourth with American Andrew Novak (67) and Canadian Mackenzie Hughes (64)
Sam Burns (71) and Sean O'Hair (71), who each started the day one shot off the lead, were equal sixth at four shots back, tied with fellow American Trace Crowe 68.
MacIntyre, a member of the winning European Ryder Cup team, started his early morning round with a birdie at the 394-yard first. After making the turn at two-under 33 he would pick up two more shots on the back nine in his bogey-free round.
"I'm playing nicely. When I'm in position off the tee I've got, I think I've been, approach play has been pretty good. I've been giving myself a lot of chances. When I missed the green I've had a good short game," said the Oban native, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour. "Overall it's been a good two days."
Fox, a winner of 17 tournaments worldwide, put himself in contention for his first PGA Tour title when he carded a solid round featuring six birdies and a bogey after starting his afternoon round from the back nine.
His final birdie at the 438-yard ninth, Fox's final hole, proved the difference as he grabbed a share of the lead with MacIntyre who had been atop the leaderboard for most of the day.
"I drove it great. I hit my irons really good and had a few more putts drop today. It could have been really silly, but I still had a lot of good putts," said the 37-year-old Auckland native.
Fox, currently 63rd in the World Ranking, said he was looking forward playing with the 27-year-old MacIntyre, the World No. 76, in the final group on Saturday.
"He's a great kid. We get along really well. Played together a bunch of times in Europe. Played together the first two days at Myrtle Beach this year. We both went pretty well there. Hopefully, we can have a bit of fun tomorrow and feed off each other and be in that final group again on Sunday."
World No. 3 Rory McIlroy, a two-time Canadian Open winner and the highest ranked player in the field, shot two-over 72 to finish on two-under 138, enough to safely make the halfway, even-par cut.
Hughes, a Hamilton native and one of eight Canadians to make the 36-hole cut at his national championship, started his day from the back nine and battled through a round that included two eagles, five birdies and three bogeys.
"Starting today I thought if I shot - if you told me I was going to shoot 64, I would have taken it. So it gets me into contention for the weekend and that's all I can ask for," said the two-time winner on the PGA Tour.
Fellow Canadian Nick Taylor, the defending champion, shot 71 to miss the cut by three strokes.
Dalian native Carl Yuan Yechun withdrew prior to the second round. ■
