U.S. Open: Collin Morikawa ‘made every thing,’ now contending

Collin Morikawa couldn’t miss on Saturday, which explains why he posted top-of-the-line rounds of the championship.

He carded a bogey-free 4-under 66, a spherical wherein “every thing labored properly” for the two-time main champion. However most significantly, Morikawa climbed from 4-over to even par, setting himself up for a attainable come-from-behind triumph at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday.

“I used to be making an attempt to get to even,” Morikawa stated after his third spherical on the U.S. Open.

“You’ll be able to’t be aggressive out right here, however I’m very comfortable.”

Morikawa didn’t miss a putt inside 10 toes on Saturday, a giant cause why he didn’t drop a shot all day. As a substitute, he made 4 birdies, three of which got here on the again 9. His first birdie of the day got here proper out of the gate on the opening gap.

“Made up and downs, putted lots from off the perimeter. Simply made the putts that I wanted to,” Morikawa defined.

“[On Friday], I feel I missed every thing that I might have made. The primary day was sort of slightly little bit of each. So it was good to see putts go in. Simply sort of construct that, hopefully, for [Sunday].”

The previous California Golden Bear gained almost 5 strokes with the putter on Saturday, which ranks first within the discipline by a large margin.

“I used to be simply ensuring I caught with every thing that we’ve been engaged on,” Morikawa stated of his placing.

Photograph by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Photographs

“It was good to see the primary one go in and construct off that.”

His opening birdie got here from 10 toes out—a distance that at all times supplies a spark in momentum early in a spherical. One other putt from 11 toes on the 2nd gap, this time for par, additionally dropped. He wound up making two extra par saves on the 4th and sixth holes to maintain his scorecard clear early.

“My 4-under might have simply been the opposite manner,” Morikawa stated.

“Whenever you play actually sensible golf out right here, I wouldn’t say it’s rewarding, however you could have to have the ability to put it in the best spots and take benefit once you do. I made the putts that I wanted to. Made up and downs. Made every thing primarily. That’s the one manner you’re going to attain out right here.”

Now Morikawa will relaxation up for Sunday’s closing spherical, when he’ll go off a lot later within the day than 10:39 a.m. That, after all, is when he started his third spherical, 9 pictures off the tempo. However after his outstanding 66, Morikawa walked off the golf course 5 pictures again of 36-hole chief Ludvig Åberg, and given the problem of Pinehurst No. 2, he may very well be nearer to the lead by day’s finish.

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.