How Collin Morikawa Fell Out of Contention at the Tour Championship

Collin Morikawa’s bid to win the season-ending Tour Championship – and the accompanying $10 million prize – went up smoke over the span of two holes on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Cal grad, who began the day just one stroke off the lead, fell out of contention after a bogey on No. 14 and a double-bogey on the 15th.

Morikawa finished the day with a 2-over score of 72 at East Lake Country Club in Atlanta and plummeted from a tie for third place to a share of 16th at minus-7.

Viktor Hovland shot a 65 and leads a tight field by one stroke at 15 under through 54 holes. He’s taking aim at his second Tour Championship victory since 2023. Morikawa is eight strokes off the lead.

Ryan Gerard carded a 66 and sits alone in second place at 14 under, while Adam Scott, Ludvig Aberg, Chris Gotterup and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler are knotted in third place at minus-12. Scheffler put together a bogey-free round of 66.

Rory McIlroy is tied for seventh place at minus-10 firing a 7-under 63 that included nine birdies.

It had to be a frustrating day for Morikawa, a two-time major winner and the world’s 10th-ranked player. He assembled rounds of 64 and 67 the first two days, pocketing 10 birdies againstjust a single bogey.

Opening Saturday at 9 under, he made four straight pars to begin the third round, then bogeyed No. 5 and birdied No. 6. Through 13 holes, Morikawa was at 1 under for the day, minus-10 for the tournament and still in the hunt.

But while Hovland seized control with birdies on four of his final six holes, Morikawa stumbled. His bogey/double-bogey on Nos. 14 and 15 sent him sliding down the leaderboard and he will have to play a strong final round to secure his fourth top-10 finish in seven tries at this event.

Only four of 29 players still competing failed to break par on Saturday, and Morikawa shared the high score of the day with Alex Smalley, who resides in a tie for last place.

Every golfer in the field is shooting 3 under or better through three days.

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