Cal Golf: Collin Morikawa's Slump Worsens at the BMW - Last Place After Two Rounds
Whether he’s just off his game or still dealing with back issues, Collin Morikawa has landed in a deep valley in what has been a brilliant young career on the PGA tour.
The 24-year-old Cal grad and two-time major winner walked off the course at Caves Valley Golf Club on Friday in 69th and last place after two rounds in the BMW Championships.
He shot a 3-over 75 and is at 3-for the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoff series, 19 strokes behind leader Bryson DeChambeau.
Given how consistently good Morikawa has been through his PGA career of two-plus years, the results of the past couple weeks are confounding.
And then there’s this: Morikawa completed what is believed to be the first 18-hole round of his career without a single birdie. In stroke-play events dating back to June 2019 when he turned pro, that includes at least 167 rounds of golf.
Morikawa had bogeys on Nos. 3, 5 and 18, made par 15 times but never scored a birdie.
Fellow Cal alum Max Homa, was at even par for the day and the tournament when play was suspended because of thunderstorms. Homa will resume play Saturday tied for 60th place.
DeChambeau, hitting long and straight, shot a 60 on Friday, only missing a 59 when he could not convert a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.
"I misread the putt, but it was an awesome opportunity," DeChambeau told Golf Channel after the round. "I had a couple of shots, a couple of opportunities on 17 and 18, and it didn't happen. But still really proud of the way I handled myself. It's great to feel pressure again, which is awesome.”
He had eight birdies and two eagles. Had he made his final putt, DeChambeau would have been the first golfer to shoot 59 on a course longer than 7,400 yards.
"When he's driving it that straight, it's got to be what it was like in the early 2000s with Tiger just hitting it the furthest and the straightest," said Jordan Spieth, who was in DeChambeau’s group Friday. "Obviously, when you can witness history, it's pretty cool.”
DeChambeau has a one-stroke lead over Patrick Cantlay, who is at minus-15 after a 63 on Friday. Cantlay had 10 birdies before a bogey on No. 17. First-round co-leader and world No. 1 Jon Rahm was at 15 under through 15 holes when ply halted.
Collin Morikawa
Photo by Scott Taetsch, USA Today
Morikawa, who has struggled in recent weeks since injuring his back in the first round of the Tokyo Olympics, would have loved to have just one of Cantlay’s birdies.
No. 1 in the FedEx Cup playoff standings heading into The Northern Trust last week, Morikawa missed the cut in that event. He said early this week that his back was feeling better but acknowledged that he had fouled up his swing while trying to compensate for his ailing back.
The British Open winner just last month and a top-10 finisher eight times this season, Morikawa shot an even-par 72 on Thursday at Owings Mills, Maryland, and was tied for 56th place after the first round. Things got worse Friday.
He will play through the rest of this weekend because the BMW Championship does not cut the field after two rounds.
Morikawa also is assured of playing next week at the season-ending Tour Championship, where he still can win the $15 million FedEx Cup title with a victory at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
But unless his game suddenly comes around again, that goal would seem out of reach.
Cover photo of Collin Morikawa by Scott Taetsch, USA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo