PGA Tour: Collin Morikawa gets gutsy win at Workday Charity Open

Collin Morikawa trailed Justin Thomas by three prior to the final round of the Workday Charity Open. A big Sunday gave Morikawa his second PGA Tour win

Collin Morikawa entered the final round of the Workday Charity Open staring into a very tough situation. If the youngster were to win for the second time on the PGA Tour, he would need to overcome two very talented players, in addition to a tough course and the pressure of a PGA Tour Sunday.

Morikawa showed early in his round that he would be up to the task of chasing down 54-hole leader Justin Thomas. Morikawa trailed Thomas by three shots entering the final round, but it took him just five holes to grab the lead on Sunday.

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While Thomas recorded bogeys at the second and third holes, Morikawa was making his move. After making birdie at the second hole, Morikawa took the lead with a birdie on number four. He then added to his lead by making an eagle on the fifth hole after an outstanding approach shot left him with a two-foot putt that he ran in.

Morikawa was not able to add to the lead while he had it and by the end of the front nine, Thomas had righted the ship and was within one shot. But Morikawa was more than satisfied with his 4-under par 32 on the front nine.

On the back nine, Thomas would birdie the 10th and 11th holes to retake the lead. Morikawa would get back into a tie with a birdie at the 12th hole, but a bogey at number 13 gave Thomas the lead back.

Both players would birdie the 14th hole before Thomas seemingly put the tournament away on number 15. Thomas made an eagle on the par-5 while Morikawa made a par. Thomas held a three-shot lead with just three holes to play.

But the former world number one struggled down the stretch, with a bogey on the 16th hole, which left his lead at two. When Morikawa birdied the 17th hole, while Thomas parred, the lead was one with one hole left.

Morikawa would par the 18th and needed Thomas to miss an 11-foot par putt to send the tournament to a playoff. Thomas did miss and the pair headed back to the 18th hole for the first playoff hole.

Again, it appeared that Thomas was ready to put Morikawa away

Thomas ran in a 50-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole, meaning Morikawa must make his 20-footer to continue the playoff. And Morikawa did just that, and the duo went back to 18 again.

Both players would par the 18th the second time around, sending the playoff to a third hole, which would be number 10 on the Muirfield Village layout. There, Thomas hit his drive right and directly behind a tree while Morikawa was in the fairway. Morikawa hit his approach to about 10 feet while Thomas was forced to pitch out.

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When Thomas’ third shot was outside of Morikawa’s second, victory was within reach for the California native. Thomas would miss his par putt, meaning Morikawa needed just two putts to win. And that’s what he did.

Taking on one of the best players in the world and beating him showed just how much game Morikawa has. His second PGA Tour win was even sweeter to Morikawa, who lost in a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge just four weeks ago. Lessons learned from that loss definitely helped Morikawa on Sunday. And all of this makes him even more dangerous moving forward.

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