Thomas surges; Morikawa fades

Local resident three shots back

DUBLIN, Ohio — Justin Thomas kept another clean card at Muirfield Village and had a 6-under-par 66 to turn a three-shot deficit into a two-shot lead Saturday in the Workday Charity Open.

Thomas first had to run off a string of birdies to stay within range of Collin Morikawa. And when the Las Vegas resident began to fade with three bogeys in a four-hole stretch around the turn, Thomas converted on the par 5s and played wisely on the short par-4 14th for another birdie to hold off Viktor Hovland.

The final group is a glimpse of golf ’s next generation.

Thomas is the proven star, already a major champion and former world No. 1 at age 27 as he goes for his 13th victory and third this year. Hovland and Morikawa had just left college at this time last year.

Hovland, a former U.S. Amateur champion from Norway, had eight birdies in his round of 66 and was two shots behind. Morikawa had to birdie the 18th for a 72 that left him three back.

Thomas was at 16-under 200. The final round will start early because of heavy storms in the forecast Sunday.

Morikawa had the lead for 31 straight holes, dating to the 15th hole in the opening round, until missing the ninth green with a short iron, hitting a wild tee shot on the 10th that led to bogey and sending his tee shot on the par-3 12th well over the green in such a bad spot that even making bogey was hard work.

■ At Reflection Bay Golf Club, Coronado product Michael Sarro shot 5-under 67 for a 6-under 138 total and a one-stroke lead over Boise State junior Cameron Barzekoff (70) after two rounds of the three-round Nevada State Amateur.

First-round leader Canon Olkowski, a Faith Lutheran product and Colorado sophomore, shot 75 to fall into a tie for 11th at 1-under 143 with three others, including defending champion and UNLV senior J.J. Gresco (73). Coronado product Ben Sawaia (71), a UNLV commit, was tied for fourth with four others at 3-under 141.

■ At Stateline, former tennis player Mardy Fish birdied the final five holes to take a three-point lead on former defensive tackle Kyle Williams in the American Century Championship. Former pitcher John Smoltz was third and twotime defending champion Tony Romo tied for fourth.

■ At Atzenbrugg, Austria, Nicolai von Dellinghausen and Marc Warren each shot 2-under 70 in a rain-drenched third Austrian Open round to tie at 11-under 205, good for a onestroke lead.

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