Up-and-comer Morikawa storms to Workday win
The PGA Tour restart has been thrilling, but Sunday at the Workday Charity Open took the excitement to a new level — even without fans, and even with the leaders teeing off at 9 a. m. to avoid an ominous afternoon weather forecast.
As storm clouds finally rolled in to Muirfield Village in Ohio shortly before 3 p.m., 23-year-old Collin Morikawa prevailed on the third playoff hole over Justin Thomas to win for the second time in his young career.
“It was crazy,” Morikawa said just after his round. “I got off to a really good start, and thinking back, 75 holes is a lot more than 72 for sure, especially the last three in sudden death. I just knew I had to go low. Justin wasn’t going to give it to me.”
It was a day full of numerous lead changes, but the pair headed to extra holes deadlocked at 19-under par after world No. 5 Thomas blew a three-shot lead, including a missed birdie putt on the 72nd green.
Playing the 18th hole for the second time Sunday, the 27-year-old Thomas looked to have redeemed himself, draining perhaps the loudest putt ever on an empty golf course with a 50-foot birdie bomb on the first playoff hole. The 12-time tour winner screamed, “C’MON!” and the pressure switched to Morikawa, who followed it up with a 25-foot birdie putt of his own to stay alive.
Playing the 18th for the third time, Thomas had a nine-foot birdie putt to win on playoff hole No. 2, but missed, sending the duo to the 10th tee for another extra hole.
Thomas showed little control over his tee shots late in the round, and it finally stung him when his drive finished directly behind a tree, while Morikawa found the fairway. Thomas was forced to punch out with his second shot, and Morikawa — whose iron play is among the best on tour — hit another wonderful approach that finished just nine feet from the hole.
A day full of drama ended quietly when Thomas missed his par putt, leaving Morikawa to two-putt from nine feet for the victory.
“It’s completely unacceptable to give up a three-shot lead with three to go,” Thomas said.
“I’m upset, I’m disappointed in myself, but at the end of the day it’s over with now, and I just need to take some time this afternoon and tonight to build on it and figure out what I can do better going into next week.”
Morikawa became the first to two wins of the superstar-in-themaking class of youngsters that includes Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff.
The Los Angeles native, who starred at the University of California, began his career by making an incredible 22 cuts in a row before finally missing one at the Travelers Championship two weeks ago.
Morikawa made amends and he now has more PGA Tour wins (2) than missed cuts (1).
With majors around the corner, it’s safe to say the kids have arrived.
“This is a huge kind of stepping stone,” Morikawa said.
“We got No. 1 out of the way, we got No. 2, let the gates just open and let’s just keep going.”
The playoff almost wasn’t to be when Morikawa nearly lipped out a two-foot par putt on the 72nd hole.
It brought back memories of the Charles Schwab Challenge that kicked off the tour’s restart, where Morikawa missed a three-foot putt to lose in a playoff against Daniel Berger. Hovland finished alone in third at 15-under par. Chase Seiffert finished one shot further back at 14-under. Gary Woodland and Ian Poulter rounded out the top five at 12-under.
The Workday Charity Open was a one-off event to replace the cancelled John Deere Classic, and the PGA Tour will stay at Muirfield Village another week as Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament begins on Thursday. It will be the same golf course but a different tournament as organizers promise to bring faster greens and longer rough.
Not to mention Tiger Woods and Rory Mcilroy, too.
O CANADA
The week began with great promise for Canadians at the Workday Charity Open with Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both of Abbotsford, B.C., sitting in second and third place respectively after Round 1.
In fact, all six Canucks in the field were in red numbers after Thursday’s round. The weekend was a different story as none of them broke 70 on moving day Saturday, with only Roger Sloan under par for the third round. Both Hadwin and Taylor shot 4-over 76s Saturday to shoot themselves off the leaderboard.
Sloan, of Merritt, B.C., was the top Canadian for the week, finishing at 7-under and in a tie for 27th.
Hadwin was the low Canuck on Sunday with a 4-under 68 to finish at 5-under for the week in a tie for 35th.
Corey Conners, of Listowel, Ont., finished the week at 4-under, while Taylor and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., finished at 3-under. David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., missed the cut.
Hadwin, Taylor, Conners and Hughes are in the field at this week’s Memorial Tournament.