RBC Canadian Open Cut Claims Rai, Rose Before U.S. Open

The RBC Canadian Open didn’t just send a few big names home early. It handed them a hard reset before the U.S. Open.

Aaron Rai and Justin Rose both missed the cut at TPC Toronto, ending their Canadian Open runs earlier than expected and pushing their attention straight toward Shinnecock Hills.

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For two major champions, it wasn’t exactly the weekend tune-up they wanted.

Rai, the reigning PGA Championship winner, came painfully close to sticking around. He was fighting the cut line late Friday and gave himself a chance with a birdie at No. 16.

Then came the swing that changed everything: a costly bogey at No. 17 after missing badly from 10 feet for par.

He did answer with a birdie on the par-5 18th, but that wasn’t enough.

Rai needed something heroic from the bunker for eagle to survive, and his shot finished just a couple feet away. Close, brutal and done.

It’s a jarring result after Rai tied for 19th at the Memorial Tournament in his first start since winning the PGA Championship.

Rose never got that close to drama. The veteran arrived with momentum after back-to-back solid finishes, including a T10 and T12 in his previous two starts, but his game never clicked in Canada.

Rose made nine bogeys against seven birdies and missed the cut by four shots.

Eric Cole’s exit was just as strange. Cole opened with a 64 and shared the first-round lead, then collapsed with a 6-over 76 that included both a double bogey and a triple bogey.

It was his first missed cut since March after recent strong finishes at the Charles Schwab Challenge and Memorial.

Max Greyserman also missed the weekend, days after qualifying for the U.S. Open in New York. Corey Conners, Padraig Harrington and Mike Weir were among the other notable names out.

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For Conners, Canada’s highest-ranked player at No. 54, missing the cut in his national open stings.

Now the focus shifts fast. Shinnecock is waiting.