COLLIN USES HIS LOAF AT SANDWICH
Classy, stylish and cool, Morikawa slices up the Kent links without any fuss, just missing a course record... the total opposite of Dechambeau’s slash and burn
COLLIN MORIKAWA showed Bryson Dechambeau how to perform on and off the course at The Open yesterday.
And while last year’s US PGA champion sits second after a wonderfully controlled 64, last year’s US Open winner followed his fellow Californian’s more cautious approach to just about make the cut.
Big-hitting Dechambeau had made a bid to bomb and gouge his way around Royal St George’s in his first round before blaming the maker of his driver.
Yesterday morning, iron man Morikawa respectfully plotted his way around the venerable old Kent links to within a lipped-out putt of the course record – and then praised his club manufacturer for his new irons.
“Yeah, I love my clubs, I love every single one of them, thank you,” he laughed. “That’s Taylormade, by the way.”
The best iron player in the world is the perfect polite antidote to all Bryson’s bravura and bull.
But even the world No.6, who made an apology to Cobra by claiming he, rather than his equipment had “sucked,” adapted yesterday as he took a 4-iron off the first tee and avoided the rough. He had learned later than the other American who won his first Major last year.
While Dechambeau revels under the nickame The Scientist for his technical tinkering, Morikawa quietly made changes to his game after missing the cut at the Scottish Open last week.
He switched his irons from 7-9 to cope better with links turf and went back to the conventional putting grip from the claw for putts over 25 feet.
“Last week I wanted to win but I came out of it learning a lot more,” a beaming Morikawa said. And it worked.
The world No.4 – the highestranked player ever to make his Open debut – displayed his dazzling iron play in the Kent sunshine to shoot seven birdies in his first 14 holes and had the all-time Major record of 62 in his sights.
A bogey at 15 stalled his charge but he still had an eightfoot birdie chance at the last to equal the 63 shot at Sandwich by Sir Nick Faldo and Payne Stewart in 1993. “I had no clue what any record was,” he said. “I’m awful with that stuff. Now I do know. I was just trying for birdies.”
The 24-year-old from LA does not go for Hollywood shots. In a fairway bunker on 13, he took only a 50-degree wedge to escape and then stroked his pitching wedge from 115 yards to three feet.
“I told myself earlier in the week that if I was in one of these bunkers, not to get stupid, just hit it out, play smart, and hopefully make par that way,” he said.
After his six-under 64, he will now bid to emulate another fellow American, Ben Curtis, who was the last man to win the Open on his debut in Kent in 2003.
But Morikawa has made history before. He claimed his first US PGA title on his debut with closing rounds of 65 and 64 – the lowest weekend scores in Major history.
Dechambeau – who finished on one over par, right on the cut line, after a level-par 70 – leads the PGA Tour in driving distance while Morikawa, who is ranked down at tied 114 and 172 for putting, is top for strokes gained tee to green.
But they do share winning their first Majors last year without fans.
“I’ve lived in the USA my entire life but I think the fans out here could be even better,” Morikawa said. “They have been amazing.
“It’s really exciting to see them out here.”