Collin Morikawa paraded across the entrance aspect at Valhalla on Friday, wanting destined to win one other main title and his second PGA Championship.
He made 5 straight birdies from holes 4 by eight, which vaulted him to the leaderboard when he walked off the golf course. Morikawa shot a 6-under 65 and can enter the weekend at 11-under par—the perfect rating he has posted by 36 holes at a serious.
“Simply saved it in entrance of myself,” Morikawa defined.
“I’ve been placing nice to this point since Augusta, so it’s good to maintain that development going. I used to be capable of hit a number of good shut photographs, a number of wedge photographs, benefit from the brief holes and the par-5s, and for probably the most half, didn’t make any massive errors, aside from the final gap, simply that method shot.”
Having began on the again 9, it took Morikawa a number of holes to heat up. However birdies on 13 and 18 acquired issues going for the two-time main winner.
He then made the flip to the entrance 9, the place he made his transfer. However Morikawa made one mistake on the ninth along with his second shot, a poor wedge that got here up effectively wanting the inexperienced. That led to a bogey to shut out his spherical.
“The little five-run birdie was me taking part in strong golf, and generally when putts drop, that’s what occurs,” he mentioned.
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“That’s the golf I’m going to ask from myself over the subsequent two days—keep current, hit your photographs, execute them, and if the putts drop, the putts drop. Not drive something. I wasn’t forcing something on the market, particularly all through as we speak.”
Morikawa leads the sphere in complete strokes gained, choosing up 12 strokes over two rounds of play. He’s additionally second in strokes gained across the inexperienced with 3.298.
From tee to inexperienced, Morikawa performed like he did when he received the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship.
He misplaced his mojo considerably earlier this season, nonetheless. His robust iron play inexplicably deserted him. However he found one thing on the vary throughout a Monday follow spherical at Augusta Nationwide, and he has been a unique participant since.
“I do know I nonetheless have it in me, and that’s what’s thrilling,” Morikawa mentioned.
“After Augusta, it sucked to complete like that and lose to Scottie, however on the finish of the day, I knew I had three extra majors developing and to prep for that and get issues as sharp as doable and are available out robust. It’s good to get off to this begin.”
Morikawa must wait out the afternoon wave to see who his taking part in accomplice might be for Saturday’s spherical.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. For extra golf protection, make sure you observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
