Morikawa’s hot streak continues
KAPALUA, Hawaii— Collin Morikawa can make golf look simple. He has a shot in mind and the ball is going where he's looking. The difference at the Sentry Tournament of Champions is that includes shots on the green.
He was particularly effective Saturday on the stretch of scoring holes on the back nine of Kapalua, typically a chance for players to make up ground in a hurry. Morikawa birdied four of the last five holes and pulled away.
He finished with a 15foot birdie putt for an 8under 65, giving him a sixshot lead going into the final round and an excellent chance to get rid of the sour taste from last year.
Asked if he was hungry to win again — his last victory was the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in November 2021 — Morikawa smiled.
“Yeah, that would be an understatement,” he said.
The two-time major champion hired putting coach Stephen Sweeney late last year. It's not a major change with his stroke except for a better understanding of what he's doing. He leads the field at Kapalua in putting, a combined with his pure iron play, it can be a frightening combination.
Morikawa has yet to make a bogey over 54 holes on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, and he has rarely come close. He made a 10-footer for par on the fourth hole to avoid a long three-putt, making that as pure as so many of his birdies.
“It’s been pretty simple today. Kind of over the past three days, where I’ve been looking is kind of where the ball’s been going,” he said. “I kind of know what I'm doing right and when I hit a bad shot, kind of what the mistake was. That’s the biggest thing.”
Morikawa was at 24-under 195, six shots clear of U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and Texas Open winner J.J. Spaun.
Morikawa is among 10 players at Kapalua who failed to win last year. Now it's an elevated event with a $15 million purse, and the PGA Tour chose to expand the field to include anyone reaching the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake.
One more round like this and Morikawa can be assured of a tee time for next year.
Scheffler, who along with Spaun started two shots behind, tried to keep up with Morikawa. The birdies dried up on the back nine, however, and Scheffler missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th that at least could have put him in the final group. He had to settle for a 69.
Fitzpatrick had five birdies over his last seven holes in his round of 66 and will be in the final group for his first trip to Hawaii.
Everyone is chasing Morikawa, and it looks to be hopeless.