CALEDON — Jackson Suber was trying not to look at the RBC Canadian Open leaderboard throughout his third round but when he came to the 18th tee box he knew what he had to do.
Suber birdied the par-5 hole at TPC Toronto to take a one-stroke lead after 54 holes on Saturday at the national men's golf championship. It capped a 4-under 66 round and put him at 13 under overall.
"I saw the lead was at 13 at one point, but I've been trying not to look at the leaderboards too much," said Suber. "But I saw on 17 that the leaders were at 12 under and so I knew that whoever was at 13 maybe had made a bogey.
"I figured that, but it really didn't matter too much. I knew that there's still tomorrow, so a birdie was nice there, but didn't try to force it or anything."
Bud Cauley of the United States was a shot back in sole possession of second and there was a four-way tie for third at 11 under. Suber said that grabbing the birdie on his final hole of the day could help him defend his lead.
"People say it makes dinner taste better, but it's definitely a little more confidence going into tomorrow knowing I birdied the last," said Suber.
Sunday's final round will be compressed due to inclement area in the area around TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Tee times for the final round will run from approximately 10:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in groups of three from tees 1 and 10.
Cauley said the new groupings won't make any significant difference to how the round is played.
"No, not at all, twos or threes," said Cauley. "Obviously, when you play in threes it take a little bit longer, but when you're out there playing and competing you don't really notice it too much, so no difference."
Sweden's Jesper Svensson (68), England's Tommy Fleetwood (67), as well as Americans Wyndham Clark (63) and Brice Garnett (67), were the group tied for third at 11 under. Svensson had been in the driver's seat for most of the round but a double bogey on the par-4 17th hole proved costly.
"I mean, it's golf," laughed Svensson. "I mean it's golf, (stuff) happens."
Clark didn't endear himself to the Canadian fans in attendance when he pulled on a Jack Hughes Team USA jersey before teeing off at the hockey-themed signature 14th hole dubbed The Rink.
Hughes scored the overtime winner in the gold-medal final of the men's Olympic hockey tournament on Feb. 22, lifting the U.S. over Canada 2-1. Clark leaned into the boos, pointing to Hughes's nameplate on his back as he was jeered.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., was the low Canadian after shooting a 5-under 65 and sitting in a group tied for seventh at 10 under.
The 10 Canadians who made the cut are the most since 1969.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2026.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
