Collin Morikawa isn’t the sort to permit himself to suppose too far forward however even he acknowledged that successful the Zozo Championship in Japan, the nation the place his father’s aspect of the household grew up, would maintain a particular place in his coronary heart.
“There’s clearly somewhat bit extra that means to this event for me, however look, a win’s a win, I’ll take a win anyplace, proper?” he stated. “I’m doing every part I can the subsequent three days and form of tonight to ensure I give myself one of the best alternative to try this.”
He’s off to a flying begin, posting a bogey-free 6-under 64 on Thursday at Accordia Golf Narashino Nation Membership within the Chiba Prefecture of Japan. Morikawa, who began on the again 9, raced to 3 birdies in his first 4 holes and barely slowed down. He tacked on birdies at Nos. 16 and 17 and yet another on his inward 9 on the sixth. He drained an uphill 8-foot par putt at his final gap of the day to seize a one-stroke lead over 5 golfers.
Morikawa has received 5 occasions on the PGA Tour, together with a pair of majors, on the precocious age of 26. However he’s additionally winless for the reason that 2021 British Open and is anxious to get again into the winner’s circle. He blew a six-stroke 54-hole lead on the Sentry Championship in January and almost received the Rocket Mortgage Basic in July, dropping in a playoff to Rickie Fowler. Within the final two seasons, he’s recorded 14 top-10 finishes, tied with Tommy Fleetwood for essentially the most throughout that span and not using a win. Morikawa is making his first begin throughout the FedEx Cup Fall and competing for the primary time for the reason that Ryder Cup.
“Taking a number of weeks off, you by no means know what you’re going to get, however I’ve been form of engaged on a number of issues making an attempt to get management of the golf ball, spent a number of time placing yesterday,” Morikawa stated. “It’s good to form of see the work I’ve put in, simply form of recreate that on the golf course.”
Listed below are 4 extra issues to know from the primary spherical of the Zozo Championship.
Mikumu Horikawa tees off on the second gap throughout the first spherical of the Zozo Championship golf event at Sherwood Nation Membership. (Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports activities)
Seeing the identify Mikumu Horikawa on the leaderboard alongside Collin Morikawa needed to be complicated for followers. It even threw Horikawa for a loop.
“When he regarded on the leaderboard, first he thought he’s in first as a result of the identify may be very like related, Morikawa and Horikawa,” an interpreter for Horikawa defined. “So oh, that’s not me. He was like, ‘Oh, I wish to catch up him.’ ”
The 30-year-old Horikawa almost did. He made birdie on two of the primary three holes and 6 in all en path to posting 5-under 65.
Horikawa, who’s ranked 267th on the planet, is an everyday on the Japan Golf Tour and received the Mynavi ABC Championship almost a 12 months in the past and completed T-3 final week on the Japan Open. Requested if he’s well-known, his interpreter stated, “He stated probably not, however he needs to develop into common after (successful this week).”
Takumi Kanaya (L) of Japan and Eric Cole (R) of america shake fingers after holing out on the ninth inexperienced throughout the first spherical of ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Nation Membership on October 19, 2023 in Inzai, Chiba, Japan. (Photograph by Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Photos)
Eric Cole has been a birdie machine throughout his rookie marketing campaign. The 35-year-old Cole entered the week having made a Tour document 517 birdies this season in 35 begins and tacked on one other half dozen en path to posting 5-under 65 on Thursday.
Cole rolled in 5 of the birdies in his first 10 holes after which traded a bogey at No. 4, his 13th gap of the day, with a last birdie at No. 6, his 15th gap.
“The ball-striking’s been good, fairly constant like each day, so not a number of loopy photographs or something like that. It’s been stable. Then the putter’s been good the final, you realize, few rounds, in order that’s been good,” he stated.
Cole switched again to an previous putter on Sunday in Las Vegas and shot a scorching final-round 9-under 62 to complete T-3 on the Shriners Youngsters’s Open, his fifth top-10 of the season. Cole retains including to his resume for Tour Rookie of the Yr. He’s additionally climbed to No. 53 on the planet and the highest 50 on the finish of the 12 months historically obtain a Masters invite. So, whereas Cole already has locked up his card for subsequent season and berths within the signature occasions, he nonetheless has loads to play for throughout the FedEx Cup Fall and he retains rolling alongside.
INZAI, JAPAN – OCTOBER 19: Emiliano Grillo of Argentina hits his tee shot on the sixteenth gap throughout the first spherical of ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Nation Membership on October 19, 2023 in Inzai, Chiba, Japan. (Photograph by Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Photos)
In all there are 5 golfers that shot 5-under 65 on Thursday, together with Nicolai Hojgaard.
The 22-year-old Dane, who represented Group Europe within the Ryder Cup, is making an attempt to safe his PGA Tour card for 2024. He has Particular Momentary Member standing, which permits him to just accept limitless sponsor exemptions all through the top of FedEx Cup Fall. Hojgaard completed T-56 final week in Las Vegas and will assist his trigger at this week’s no-cut occasion. He must earn extra non-member FedEx Cup factors than the 125thfinisher within the standings by the top of the RSM Basic to earn full Tour membership for subsequent season. He’s off to a stable begin to making that occur in Japan.
“I used to be grinding exhausting on the market at this time to place a rating collectively,” he stated. “Rolled the putter properly, so stored me going.”
Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, who received earlier this 12 months on the Charles Schwab Problem, had a share of the lead and a bogey-free spherical going till he took three putts on the final to complete with bogey.
Robby Shelton, 28, entered the week at 93rd within the FedEx Fall, and a spherical of 65 was simply what the physician ordered. Shelton stated his sport’s been “trending in the best path,” however he had missed two straight cuts and had the weekend off at six of seven and 9 of his final 11 begins.
“I hit a number of greens early and the putts fell,” stated Shelton, who’s looking for his first Tour title. “I’ve been trending in the best path, hadn’t been enjoying nice, nevertheless it feels loads higher. Type of figured some issues out this week. Simply bought to maintain my head on straight.”
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan hits his tee shot on the seventh gap throughout the first spherical of ZOZO Championship at Accordia Golf Narashino Nation Membership on October 19, 2023 in Inzai, Chiba, Japan. (Photograph by Lintao Zhang/Getty Photos)
Three of the fan favorites have some catching as much as do after getting off to sluggish begins within the opening spherical.
Matsuyama, who’s making his first begin since withdrawing from the BMW Championship with a again harm in August, was 2-over by way of 12 holes till he made an eagle at 14 and a birdie at 18 to squeak into crimson figures with a 69. Matsuyama is a previous champion of this occasion, successful in 2021.
Scott made two birdies and two bogeys and posted an even-par 70.
Fowler, a runner-up in Japan a 12 months in the past, didn’t make a birdie till 16 and shot 1-over 71.
