The 2024 PGA Championship is still anyone’s for the taking ahead of Sunday’s final round.
After the drama of Scottie Scheffler’s arrest on Friday and the tragic death of a worker outside the course, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa hold a share of the lead after 54 holes.
Schauffele and Morikawa are the co-leaders at 15-under after carding a second successive 68 and four-under 67, respectively.
The 27-year-old Morikawa is bidding for a third major title but has not won one of golf’s four biggest events since The Open in 2021.
Despite being tied for the lead at Valhalla, Golf Channel journalist Rex Hoggard thinks Morikawa looks far from his former self.
“I could sit here and say, yes, Collin Morikawa looks like his former self, but I would say, right now, it seems like a shell of his former self,” Hoggard said on his Golf Channel Podcast.
“This isn’t the guy who ball struck his way, he just doesn’t have that look of the guy that won the PGA Championship at Harding Park, and it probably has everything to do with what he touched on, that he does need to give himself a pep talk.
“Look, you can lose your swing and lose your confidence, and then you’re slowly going to get it back, and we’ve probably seen that right now, and we’re in the midst of that right now with Collin Morikawa and certainly Viktor Hovland, and that is a process, but behind that process, there’s a lag to this, getting your confidence back.
“And I think in this particular case, one follows the other and I think either one of those players are back to 100 percent. They’re close and they’re clearly playing well in a major championship, and I’m not going to be surprised if either one wins tomorrow.”
Morikawa has a chance to join rarefied air on Sunday.
If he lifts the Wanamaker Trophy for a second time, it would be his third major victory in just 18 appearances – moving him past the likes of Jon Rahm and Scheffler in terms of majors won, while being level with Jordan Spieth and only one behind Rory McIlroy.
The world no. 13 only has one victory in any event since 2021 but has finished inside the top 25 on his last four starts.
That includes this year’s Masters where he finished T3 and was also in contention with Schauffele on the final day.
Morikawa and Scheffler were in the last group at the Masters in April, but Morikawa shot a final-round 74 to tie for third while Scheffler won.
“Yeah, I’m going to tap in just kind of that mental state I’ve been in,” Morikawa said before Sunday’s final round at Valhalla.
“Not only those two (major victories), but in other tournaments I’ve played well in. I think the goal for me tonight before my tee time is just to be as mentally sharp by that first hole.”
Morikawa and Schauffele are playing in the final twosome tee time on Sunday at 7:35 pm BST (2:35 pm ET)
News Summary:
- PGA Championship contender is ‘a shell of his former self’ despite sharing lead at Valhalla
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