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Collin Morikawa, 24, won his second major championship on Sunday at the 149th Open, becoming the first player in men’s golf history to win his debut at two separate major events. He also became the eighth golfer in history to win two majors before the age of 25. The phenomenon finished 15th under the tournament, beating second Jordan Spieth (-13) and third Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen (-11).
Morikawa placed atop a star-studded rankings like a throwback as he closed a 54-hole one-shot turn deficit in a two-stroke victory, scoring the start of his week with a 4 without a bogey. less than 66 on lap 4. Spieth and Rahm tied him with 66 in a wild final round that left us with a formidable finish.
“It was by far one of the best times of my life,” Morikawa said after the round on NBC. “Being called the champion golfer of the year gives me chills.”
Paired with 2010 Open Championship winner and 54-hole leader Louis Oosthuizen, who won the same championship 11 years ago to the day on Sunday, Morikawa and Oosty traded in the first three holes of the final round of the Royal St. George’s. But as Oosthuizen – who led after every heat this week – faded away with bogeys at No.4 and No.7, Morikawa jumped up and took the lead, sinking birdies at No.7, 8 and 9. . arrived at 34, ending his week with 31 consecutive holes without a bogey to win the Claret Jug.
“It was 100%,” he said of his focus on his last 18 holes. “The execution was a little uncertain, but I knew there would be some issues.… Yeah, my putting stats might not be up there, but they came when I needed them, and I am so happy. “
Spieth, three-time major and 2017 Open champion, rode his own run on Sunday to push Morikawa down the home stretch of lap four. After overcoming the bogeys at No.4 and 6, Spieth won the seventh and birdied at No.9, 10, 13 and 14 to get close to one of Morikawa’s backstroke advances. Still, Morikawa, playing a hole behind him, had an answer every round with a clutch birdie on the 14th par 4 and a pair of par 15 and 16 saves as he drove it home so regular.
Morikawa, who won the 2020 PGA Championship, joins Tiger Woods as the second golfer to win the Open and the PGA Championship before the age of 25. And only three golfers in the history of the sport – Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones and now Morikawa – have won multiple major tournaments in eight starts or less at such events.
“I had to tell myself halfway through the lap, when I started birdies, just to focus on each shot,” Morikawa said of his tiger balance. … Just make sure I’m engaged on every shot. That was the everyday goal until now, and I had to stick to it. I got into a good position with nine holes to go, but there were still nine holes, and I still had to hit shot after shot to try to get it. ”
Oosthuizen, after leading all week, finished with his third consecutive top three in a major tournament after struggling for second in the PGA Championship and the US Open. Rahm, who won the US Open last month at Torrey Pines, birdied four of his last six holes but couldn’t defend himself after a rough start at Royal St. George’s, while Spieth recorded his second top three in a major tournament this year. .
The Open Championship was the only one of four major golf tournaments to have been canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic and is the last major tournament on the PGA Tour schedule until next April, making the title of Golf Champion of the year for Morikawa all the sweeter. He takes up the torch carried by defending champion and 2019 winner Shane Lowry, who finished at 6 under the week and T12, tied for his second best result of the event.
Although there is a nine-month break between major tournaments for Morikawa, he is one of the few to play later this month in another major tournament, as he is one of the representatives of the United States. United at the Tokyo Olympics.
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