VANCOUVER, British Columbia — On a day when the course conditions favored experienced players with major championship success, PGA Tour rookie Michael Thompson had to learn on the fly.

The Hooters Tour just didn’t prepare him for anything like this.

Facing rough so thick it forced Mike Weir to withdraw with an elbow injury, and the tightest course he’s ever seen, Thompson followed up his even-par opening round with a 4-under 66 on Friday to move into a tie with fellow American Chad Campbell after the second round of the Canadian Open.

“I played on the Hooters Tour last year, which there’s no rough,” Thompson said. “You just take your driver out and kill it.”

That hasn’t been the recipe for success this week, not with the long grass being compared the U.S. Open, fairways around 27 yards wide, and old growth forest lining every hole on the 7,010-yard Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club.

For Thompson, a 26-year-old from Alabama who was the rookie of the year on the Hooters Tour last year, the only comparison was the 2007 U.S. Amateur, where he made the finals before losing to Colt Knost, who was at even par Friday.

“What I’ve learned on a golf course like this is you pick your line and you get really focused in on your target,” said Thompson, who has now made five straight cuts in his first PGA Tour season, and 10 of 17 overall.

Playing under mostly sunny skies in the afternoon, Thompson followed an early bogey with five birdies, including one on the tough 472-yard, par-4 18th.

“On top of that, just accepting where it goes,” he said. “If it goes in the rough, you deal with it. There’s no reason to freak out or panic.”

It’s a lesson many of the leaders this week had already learned.

British Senior OpenWALTON ON THE HILL, England — Americans Mark Calcavecchia and Lee Rinker and Canadian Rod Spittle shared the second-round lead in the Senior British Open on Friday.Calcavecchia — one of three overnight leaders — made six birdies in his 3-under 69. He was joined at 7 under by Rinker and Spittle, who each shot 67 at Walton Heath.It’s the first time since 2004 that at least three players have held a share of the lead after 36 holes of a Senior British Open.Australian Peter Fowler was two shots back after a 68, with American pair John Cook (67) and Mike Goodes (70) tied at 4 under. Defending champion Bernhard Langer faded with a 76, nine shots off the pace.Fowler, a two-time winner on the European Seniors Tour this season, holed a pitch shot for birdie on No. 16. England’s Kevin Spurgeon had the low round with eight birdies for a 66.Bob Tway (70) and 2010 runner-up Corey Pavin (72) were tied at 3 under with England’s Barry Lane (70).Tom Watson had a bogey-free 68 to move into contention at 1 under, along with Mark O’Meara and Tom Lehman, who each had a 72. Americans filled six of the top nine places, improving the likelihood of an eighth U.S. winner in nine years.Australia’s Mike Harwood and Zimbabwean-born Mark McNulty shared the overnight lead with Calcavecchia, but finished at 74 and 76, respectively.Calcavecchia and Rinker live near each other in Jupiter, Fla.