KAPALUA, Hawaii – Collin Morikawa isn’t a surfer, but he’s riding a wave to the top of the leaderboard at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Morikawa made an eagle and six birdies to shoot 8-under 65 at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course to open up a six-stroke lead heading into the final round over major winners Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler and Valero Texas Open winner J.J. Spaun.
“It’s been pretty simple today. Kind of over the past three days, is where I’ve been looking is kind of where the ball’s been going,” Morikawa said.
Morikawa is the only player in the field without a bogey through 54 holes. Just after Scheffler made an eagle to temporarily tie him, Morikawa holed an 11-foot eagle putt at the fifth and followed it up with a birdie at six (and a Scheffler bogey at the same hole) to reclaim control of the tournament.
Morikawa’s putter remained red hot – he’s leading the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (+6.778).
“I keep waiting for him to miss one of these,” said PGA Tour Radio’s Mark Wilson after Morikawa drained an 8-foot par putt at 10. “He’s like a robot out there.”
Morikawa’s six-shot lead equals the largest 54-hole lead of the season (Russell Henley/World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba) and matches the largest at the event since 1999. But Morikawa, who is seeking his first Tour victory since the 2021 British Open and sixth career Tour title knows it won’t be easy. He blew a five-stroke lead at the Hero World Challenge in December 2021, which would have lifted him to world No. 1.
“Last year felt so long. That kind of middle of the season really from Players all the way through playoffs just felt like it never ended,” he said. “It was just like I play a tournament, you get back home, you play another tournament, play two more. You’re always searching. It doesn’t mean — when you’re playing well you’re still searching for something. But it’s felt like a while, especially since you see kind of my peers and friends get up to the top and, yeah, tomorrow’s a big one.”
Sentry TOC: Sunday tee times, how to watch | Photos
Scottie Scheffler (right) exchanges clubs with caddie Ted Scott (left) on the ninth hole during the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort – The Plantation Course. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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