David Hearn eyes date with history as he takes the Canadian Open lead heading into the final round

The roar of the crowd was still echoing around the first tee at the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday afternoon. Fan favourites Bubba Watson and Jason Day had just teed off to the kind of applause expected for PGA stars who get a lot of camera time.

Moments later, Canadian David Hearn arrived at the tee only three strokes off the lead to what can only be described as polite applause. One guy yelled "Go, Canada," prompting another to ask, "He's Canadian?"
Ah, the joy of anonymity.

But it will not be this way on Sunday. Not by a long shot.

The 36-year-old product of Brantford, Ont., will be the recipient of big cheers and big galleries after firing a solid 4-under 68 Saturday to take the lead. He heads into Sunday's final round two strokes ahead of the aforementioned Watson and Day.

Hearn is the first Canadian to have a 54-hole lead at the Canadian Open since Mike Weir in 2004. Weir led by three shots but lost to Vijay Singh in a playoff. 

``I played real solid today and I couldn't be happier as to where my game is right no," said Hearn. "I would have like to have finished a bit better, but overall I'm happy with where my game's at and I'm excited about tomorrow."

He began to hear louder applause and feel the love on the final four holes after taking the lead, which may or may not prepared him for what he will face on Sunday. (With any luck, he won't hear the cry of "The Hearn-icane" that was shouted on the tee at 15. At least it wasn't "Hearn-ia.")

He's confident that the crowds won't work against him, as they did for Mike Weir back in 2004 when the pro-Weir mob's uncontrolled enthusiasm contributed to his missing out on the title.

``It was so much fun to play in front of these hometown crowds," he said. ``They were just amazing to play in front of. Something I'll always remember.

``I fed off that energy for sure."

It's possibe that energy may have worked against him a bit near the end. With the galleries getting louder, Hearn bogeyed the 17th after going bunker to bunker.

It was the only stain on a day that featured five birdies.

If he was feeling pressure from the unexpected attention, he didn't show it on the 18th. After landing his second shot in the bunker, he executed a difficult sand shot to give him a shot at birdie.

He missed by millimetres but holed out for par.

``Whatever anybody else does, it boils down to me," he said about Sunday. ``I have to hit good shots and make some birdies.

``I know that 15-under won't win this tournament. If I can keep playing the way I have the first three days I really like my chances."

Hearn faces a daunting day with history in an attempt to become the first Canadian to win this tournament since Pat Fletcher did it in 1954. Nipping at his heels are plenty of guys who have a lot of experience winning.

That includes Watson, the guy he'll be paired with on Sunday.

Behind Watson and Day are relative unknowns Michael Putnam and Brooks Koepka  at 12-under. Two-time Canadian Open winner Jim Furyk is one stroke back of them along with Camilo Villegas, first-day leader Emiliano Grillo and Chad Campbell.

And the sight of what happened to the guy holding the lead on Saturday morning is an indication that things can change quickly.  Campbell started the day with a two-stroke lead and dropped back with a roundof 3-over.

Leads can disappear quickly in the hard, windy conditions at Glen Abbey.

"You get down on the bottom holes, kind of 11 through 15, it can throw you for loops," said Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., who shot a 67 to move to 8-under. "And you can really lose your mind, guessing wrong and doing the opposite of what you were thinking."

But Hearn says the pressure here won't be any worse than on the other tour stops.

``I'm looking forward to embracing it," he said. ``This is something that you dream of, obviously, being Canadian to be in the final group leading this golf tournament ...

``I'm excited about that opportunity. I'd like to have a putt to win this golf tournament on the last hole."

While Hearn was stealing the headlines, several other Canadians made some noise.

It was a weird but wonderful day for Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. Not only was did he tee off on a Saturday for the first time in three tries at the Open, but he did it alone.

Solo. The first player on a the course at 7 a.m. and playing without a partner, Svensson responded by shooting a 5-under par 67 to go 7-under for the tournament.

"It was a little bit weird the first couple of holes," the rookie pro said about his first time ever playing alone in a tournament. "But kind of got used to it.

"The first player on the greens, it's kind of nice. It's not bumpy and stuff."

Hadwin closed with a flourish, birdying three of the last four holes to finish 5-under to stand at 8-under heading into the final round.

It was a tough day for the Canadian amateurs. Blair Hamilton of Burlington, Ont., struggled  with five bogeys and ended up with a 4-over 76.

Austin Connelly, the Texan-Canadian, was 5-over. Both are one-under for the tournament.