Morikawa win has Tiger prints
The plan was for Collin Morikawa to wear a red shirt with his black pants Sunday to show support for Tiger Woods as he recovers from career-threatening leg injuries from a car crash.
The clothes shipped to him never arrived, so Morikawa did the next best thing at the Workday Championship. He played like him. Morikawa shook off an early mistake and played a steady hand on a Concession course known for calamity, closing with a threeunder-par 69.
“With how good the field was, how good my game felt, to close it out with such a stacked leaderboard coming after me, it really means a lot,” said Morikawa, 24, a La Cañada Flintridge High alum who joined Woods as the only players to win a major and a World Golf Championship title before turning 25.
Morikawa finished at 18under 270 and won for the fourth time in his last 34 starts on the PGA Tour. He finished three ahead of Brooks Koepka (70), Viktor Hovland (67) and Billy Horschel (70).
Morikawa choked up ever so slightly when it was over, talking about Woods and what he has meant to the game, and his paternal grandfather, who died last month.
“You don’t get to say thank you enough,” Morikawa said. “So , ‘Thank you, guys.’ ”
Several other players wore the ensemble that Woods made famous, and Tony Finau took it an extra step by arriving with his cap turned backward.
Elsewhere
Nelly Korda shot a threeunder 69 to win the Gainbridge LPGA, giving the Korda family two victories to start the season. Her older sister, Jessica, won the season-opening Tournament of Champions last month. Annika Sorenstam wrapped up her return after more than 12 years of retirement with a 76, finishing last.
Kevin Sutherland shot a four-under 69 to overtake Mike Weir in the Champions Tour Colorguard Classic.
Branden Grace closed eagle-birdie to win the Puerto Rico Open by one stroke over Jhonattan Vegas in an emotional triumph following his father’s January death after a monthlong fight with the coronavirus.