Cal Golf: Collin Morikawa Shoots a Sizzling 65 in Round 1 of The Players Championship

The world's 10th-ranked player is 1 stroke off the lead; Max Homa shot an even-par 72.

Collin Morikawa played flawless golf, carding five birdies and an eagle in his 7-under round of 65 to open play at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida on Thursday.

But the former Cal star found himself in second place, one stroke back of 30-year-old Chad Ramey, who resides at No. 225 in the world rankings. Ramey, a former Mississippi State star, has just one career PGA Tour victory but shot a bogey-free 8-under 64 that featured eight birdies.

"I might have made it look that way, but it wasn't easy at all," said Ramey, who putted for birdie on 16 of 18 holes. "It was fun. First time to shoot a score on such an iconic course like this. You can't ask for any more."

Collin Morikawa featured as he plays No. 9 / Photo by Corey Perrine, Florida Times-Union

Morikawa, 26, is chasing his first tour win since a pair of victories in 2021, including at The Open Championship at Royal St. George’s at Sandwich, England.

But while he hasn’t won this season and has missed the cut in two of his past three starters, the world’s 10th-ranked player also has three top-10 finishes, including a runner-up effort the the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January.

"The game feels really good, and I'm just going to take that into the next few days and just kind of use that momentum to hopefully play three more really good rounds," Morikawa said.

Morikawa, beginning on the back nine Thursday, made par through his first four holes then had birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 and made the turn a 2-under 34. He birdied No. 1, made an eagle-3 on the par-5 second hole, with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6. His bogey-free round had him atop the leaderboard all morning until Ramey finished with a flourish.

Canadian Taylor Penrith, Ben Griffin and Justin Sun share third place at 5-under 67. There still were nearly two dozen golfers unfinished when darkness fell.

Max Homa, the 32-year-old Cal grad who is No. 7 in the world rankings and already has won twice this season, shot an even-par 72, with three birdies and three bogeys. He is tied for 49th place.

Byeong Hun An, the 31-year-old one-time Cal player, was tied for 32nd place after shooting a 1-under 71. An, ranked No. 189 in the world, still is seeking his first career PGA Tour win.

The Players features many of the world’s elite players taking aim at a record $25 million purse. The winner will take home $4.5 million.

Missing from the field is defending champion Cameron Smith of Australia, barred from the event because he has joined the Saudi-based LIV tour.

Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 on the world list, is tied for sixth at 4-under 68 after a round that included nine pars on the back nine and five birdies and a bogey on the front.

World No. 1 Jon Rahm carded a 71 that was bogey-free until his second-to-last hole of the day, No. 8.

It was a tough day for world No. 3 Rory McIlroy, who had a double-bogey 6 on the 10th hole and four other bogeys on the way to a 4-over 76 that has him far back in a tie for 118th place.

Cover photo of Collin Morikawa chipping out of a bunker by Bob Self, Florida Times-Union

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo