Thomas keeps clean card for 2-shot lead at Muirfield

DUBLIN, Ohio—justin Thomas never looked to be in a hurry. Not when he stepped to the first tee Friday trailing by 13 shots. Not when he was simply trying to keep up with Collin Morikawa on Saturday in the Workday Charity Open.

And after turning a three-shot deficit into a two-shot lead with another clean card, he certainly didn’t see any need to sprint to the finish at Muirfield Village as he goes after his third victory this season.

“Just going to keep trying to hit the fairways and hit the greens and make as many birdies as I can,” he said.

That’s been the philosophy all week, and along the way, he has managed to keep bogeys off his card. There were a few dicey moments, such as a pair of two-putt pars from over 50 feet, and a shot that stuck in the grass high on the lip of a bunker on par-3 12th. Otherwise, it’s been a clinic. Thomas had three straight birdies to stay in range of Morikawa. And when Morikawa fell back with three bogeys over a four-hole stretch around the turn, Thomas made efficient birdies on the par 5s and a smart birdie on the

reachable 14th for a 6-under 66 to keep two ahead of Viktor Hovland (66).

After a delicate chip to tap-in range on the par-5 fifth, Thomas walked halfway up the hill behind the green and plopped down in the grass, leaning back on his hands, much like a spectator at a tournament that has none.

Too bad there won’t be any fans Sunday, a final round that offers another glimpse of the new generation.

Thomas is the proven star, already a major champion and former world No. 1 at

age 27 as he goes after his third victory this season and the 13th victory of his career.

Hovland and Morikawa had just left college at this time last year and already have victories, albeit the opposite-field variety the same week as World Golf Championships.

Hovland, the former US Amateur champion from Norway, had eight birdies in his round of 66. Morikawa, who never looks as though he’ll make a mistake, had enough of them that he needed a birdie on his last hole for a 72.