Collin Morikawa holds a six-stroke lead heading to Sunday at Kapalua.
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KAPALUA, Hawaii — The final query of Collin Morikawa’s Saturday post-round press convention didn’t fairly land.
Had he ever held a big-time 54-hole lead like this earlier than?
Morikawa paused.
“Well, Hero,” he mentioned with a smile. “It’s okay, I’m over it.”
Ah, yeah, that one. You might recall that Morikawa entered the 2021 Hero World Challenge with an opportunity to take over the title of World No. 1. In that match, he shot 8-under 64 to take a five-shot lead heading to the final round. But then he shot 41 on the entrance 9 on Sunday, in the end settling for T5 as Viktor Hovland went on to win.
That match ushered in a difficult 2022 for Morikawa. He was a sufferer of his personal success, to an extent; two majors earlier than age 25 units the bar unreasonably excessive. It’s not as if he performed poorly; he logged a handful of top-five finishes together with one at the Masters and one other at the U.S. Open. But the season dragged. He didn’t get the outcomes he wished. His world rating continued to slip.
“Last year felt so long,” he mentioned. “That middle of the season really from Players all the way through the playoffs just felt like it never ended.” He used the phrase “searching” a pair occasions. Mostly, it feels like he’s been trying to find a win.
“It’s felt like a while, especially since you see my peers and friends get up to the top and, yeah. Tomorrow’s a big one.”
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Three rounds into the 2023 calendar 12 months, it’s powerful to think about anyone enjoying higher golf than Morikawa. He’s opened with rounds of 64-66-65 at Kapalua’s par-73 Plantation Course. He appears in full command of his golf swing — he’s third in strokes gained from tee to inexperienced — and his best weak spot, the putter, has seemed like a superpower. He’s second in strokes gained placing. Oh yeah, and he hasn’t made a bogey.
Morikawa kicked off his Saturday scoring with an eagle at the par-5 fifth. He poured in a 20-footer for birdie at the sixth. He received up and down for birdie at the par-5 ninth. His lead grew.
Birdies at 14, 15 and 16 widened the hole. His lead was 5 enjoying the 18th. And simply when Scottie Scheffler appeared poised to select up a shot, Morikawa dropped in a 15-footer for birdie. When Scheffler missed his subsequent four-footer, the lead grew to become six.
Now it’s closing time.
Asked what’s at stake on Sunday, Morikawa had a easy reply.
“Winning the golf tournament. That’s all it is. I think it is every time you’re in these positions, just winning the golf tournament. It’s nothing else. I don’t care about anything else. I want to win.”
There’s loads that might include a victory. He’d personal the honour of first designated occasion champion (or elevated occasion champ, or…we’re engaged on it.) He’d have his sixth PGA Tour win and his first because the 2021 Open Championship. He’d validate his work with new placing and quick recreation coaches Stephen Sweeney and Parker McLachlin. He’d avenge that misplaced Hero lead. Plus there’d be the little bonus of a $2.7 million first-place test. But he is aware of higher than to get forward of himself.
“I know it’s going to take a lot,” he mentioned. “There’s going to be a lot of guys out there that are going to be firing at pins, making a lot of birdies early on. So that’s just for me to just kind of do what I’ve been doing, staying patient, give myself opportunities and let ’em fall.”
Morikawa says he appears ahead to each PGA Tour round as a result of they’re alternatives. Whether you’re in first or final, there’s one thing to be taught. Not this time.
“Tomorrow it’s not about learning. I’m going to put kind of everything I’ve been through and everything I’ve done in the past and just kind of use that to my advantage, hopefully, and just start hole 1 and go strong for 18. It’s a long day out there.”
With an enormous prize at the tip.
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