Ben James Reflects on Surreal Start to Pro Career After Taking the Lead at the $9.8M PGA Tour Event
Jun 12, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Ben James watches the flight of his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Jun 12, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Ben James watches the flight of his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Ben James turned professional and came to TPC Toronto for his first tournament as a pro. After 36 holes, the 23-year-old is leading the field. James said he never expected to be in this position so early in his professional career.
The University of Virginia graduate shot a 63 in the second round on Friday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ontario. That moved him to 10-under-par overall and gave him the solo lead at the $9.8 million RBC Canadian Open. After his round, reporters asked James if he had ever imagined leading the tournament after 36 holes in his first event as a professional golfer.
"I didn't even, yeah, probably not," he said. "I wasn't really thinking about really results at all this week. Just worried about getting comfortable, making new friends, and having fun, and just seeing where everything kind of falls."
Jun 12, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Ben James hits his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Jun 12, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Ben James hits his approach shot into the 18th green during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
His second round opened with an eagle on the par-5 first hole, the second straight day he eagled it.
"I eagled it the day before; I think that hole just likes me," James said. "I just striped the first tee shot, hit a nice hybrid in there, and rolled in a 25-footer."
He added five birdies and no bogeys from there.
Virginia golf coach Bowen Sargent, who has coached at the university since 2004, spoke about James' ball-striking. "He's the best ball-striker I've ever seen," Sargent told the PGA Tour. "I've never once seen him have a bad ball-striking day, not once in four years."
James earned his PGA Tour card after finishing No. 1 in the 2026 PGA Tour University rankings. He now has full PGA Tour status through 2027.
His success this week is not a surprise when you look at everything he achieved as an amateur.
The 23-Year-Old Golfer Ben James's Rapid Rise Continues in Golf
James closed his amateur career at the top of the 2026 PGA Tour University standings with seven wins and 35 top-10 finishes in 46 collegiate starts at Virginia. He led the Cavaliers to back-to-back ACC Championships in 2025 and 2026.
He is only the fifth player in NCAA Division I history to earn First Team All-America honors four times. He is the first player to achieve that since Bryce Molder of Georgia Tech did it 25 years ago. In the 2026 NCAA Championship match, James beat Oklahoma State's Preston Stout and earned Virginia's only point.
James represented the United States in the Walker Cup in 2023 and 2025 and the Palmer Cup in 2023 and 2024. He never lost a match in those events. He also won the 2021 Junior Players Championship and finished his junior career as the top-ranked junior golfer in the country according to both the American Junior Golf Association and Golfweek.
James is the latest No. 1 PGA Tour University graduate to move to the PGA Tour, following Ludvig Åberg, Michael Thorbjornsen, and David Ford. On Saturday at TPC Toronto, he will play in the final group for the first time as a professional golfer.
Do you think Ben James can hold his nerve and win the 2026 RBC Canadian Open in his pro debut? Let us know in the comments.
Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Ankita Yadav