Morikawa opens up season-best six-stroke lead after 54 holes at Tournament of Champions

By Sports Desk January 07, 2023

Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa continued his excellent run at the Tournament of Champions on Saturday with an eight-under-par 65 helping him pull six strokes clear.

The 25-year-old American carded rounds of 64 and 66 on his first two days to lead by two shots at the halfway mark, backing that form up on the third day with an eagle on the par-five fifth hole.

Morikawa and playing partner Scottie Scheffler had traded eagles on the fifth to set the standard early at the Kapalua Plantation Course on the island of Maui.

The 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 Open Championship winner finished his round with four birdies from the final five holes to open up a significant gap at the top of the leaderboard.

Morikawa remains bogey-free across 54 holes, with his six-stroke lead equalling the largest 54-hole lead of the season, alongside Russell Henley at the World Wide Technology Championship.

Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun are next best on 18 under. Fitzpatrick carded a seven-under-par 66 to surge up the leaderboard, while Scheffler and Spaun went four under on the third day.

Jon Rahm and Tom Kim are both a further stroke back at 17-under-par overall. Kim moved into joint second after an eagle on 15th but slipped back after following that up with a bogey.

Max Homa enjoyed the round of the day, carding a 10-under-par 63 although he was not helped by an unlucky bounce from a sprinkler head on a good approach on the 17th, leaving him to settle for par.

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    Meanwhile, Schenk was tied for the lead on 18, but a poor drive landed right at the base of a tree, meaning the righty had to scramble it back into the fairway left-handed.

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