The final round of the Workday Charity Open had a little bit of everything. It was the type of Sunday drama that we missed during the 91-day suspension of the PGA Tour season and the reason why we mourned the loss of the British Open and the Ryder Cup from the 2020 golf calendar.
We’ll remember this one for years to come, even if there isn’t another Workday Charity Open to remember. Mark it down as the first clash of the Class of 2011 vs. the Class of 2019. Round One goes to the new kids on the block.
Justin Thomas, all of 27 years of age, opened the day with a two-stroke lead over Viktor Hovland and three over Collin Morikawa, but it didn’t last long as Hovland, 22, made birdie on three of the first five holes to grab the lead. It looked like the Norwegian, the only player to make the cut in all five events since the restart, would notch his second Tour title and validate the hype he’s generated since winning the 2018 U.S. Amateur. That is until he hit into the water at No. 6 and again at 14 and fell out of the trophy chase.
Morikawa, the 23-year-old Cal grad, charged out of the gate with early birdies at Nos. 2 and 4 and an eagle at the fifth and never backed off, signing for 66, even when he trailed by three strokes with three holes to go.
The third member of the Class of 2019, Matt Wolff, 21, had the weekend off after a missed cut, but showed his high-octane game a week ago when he held the 54-hole lead at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. All three of these young guns already have Tour cards, not to mention wins to their credit, less than a year after an NCAA title seemed like life or death.
In time, the Class of ’19 may give the Class of ’11 a run for its money, which is saying something. You remember the high school Class of 2011, right?
Justin Thomas let a three-stroke lead with three holes to go get away from him at the Workday Charity Open at Muirfield Village Golf Club (Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports).
Jordan Spieth was the first to leave college for the pro ranks and breakthrough in a major way – three majors already in his trophy case. Then there was Thomas. It feels as if it was a long time ago that he was introduced everywhere as “Jordan’s friend,” but it is Thomas, the winner of the 2017 PGA Championship, who has surpassed Spieth for most victories. Had he won the Workday, Thomas would have been only behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods for shortest time to win 13 times on Tour. He’ll have to wait another week because after a sluggish start and a magical putting stretch through the middle of the round he coughed up a three-stroke lead with three holes to go and eventually succumbed to Morikawa in a playoff.
Much was expected from fellow Class of 2011 graduates Patrick Rodgers and Ollie Schniederjans, but so far they are still searching for their first Tour title. Emiliano Grillo and
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By: Adam Schupak
Title: Collin Morikawa wins one for the Class of 2019 in what could become epic battle with Class of 2011
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2020/07/13/collin-morikawa-wins-one-for-the-class-of-2019-in-what-could-become-epic-battle-with-class-of-2011/
Published Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:30:22 +0000