With third-round 66, Collin Morikawa proves low scores are attainable on U.S. Open weekend

PINEHURST, N.C. – The U.S. Open weekend is set up for golf’s ultimate physical and mental challenge, but low scores are available – however unlikely they may seem.

Collin Morikawa proved it Saturday. The two-time major champion carded a third-round, 4-under 66 at Pinehurst No. 2, playing bogey-free amidst the week’s most challenging conditions so far – firm and fast, with persnickety hole locations, and expected to continually toughen as Saturday afternoon proceeds. After making the cut with a stroke to spare, Morikawa can reasonably expect to contend for the title with a similar showing on Sunday. He’s at level par through 54 holes, a score that should give him a chance by day’s end.

“Even par, I was trying to get to that today,” Morikawa said after his round. “Very happy.”

Opening rounds of 70-74 suggested that Morikawa might not be a factor this weekend, after showing strong form in the season’s first two majors – T3 at the Masters, T4 at the PGA Championship – corresponding with a recent return to longtime swing coach Rick Sessinghaus. He arrived at Pinehurst on the strength of a runner-up at last week’s Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, one back of Scottie Scheffler. He’s seventh on the Official World Golf Ranking, battling Patrick Cantlay (ninth in the OWGR, T2 into the weekend at the U.S. Open) for the final spot on the United States’ four-person Olympics men’s golf team (qualification is finalized after the U.S. Open). He was, in a word, trending.

For two days, though, the plan was diverted. Morikawa admitted to getting a bit impatient at times – forcing shots that led to bogeys on Nos. 6 and 7 on Friday, he said. After the second round, he watched some videos from tournament coverage and noticed some troublesome tendencies that had creeped in. He focused on mitigating those Saturday – based on his 66, one off the week’s low score so far, it was a successful bit of reconnaissance.

“The body was a little out of sync yesterday,” Morikawa said Saturday. “Wasn't swinging it as well. Watched some videos of the coverage. Just looked a little quick. For me, whenever it's quick, it's never good. Just tried to be a little bit more patient out there, really stick to what I felt. Just execute as best I can.”

With a victory Sunday, Morikawa would move within a Masters green jacket of the career Grand Slam. It won’t be easy of course; he trailed 36-hole leader Ludvig Åberg by five strokes after finishing his third round and stood T13 on the board. But expect that position to improve as the afternoon wears on; the field’s third-round scoring average was north of 73 as the final pairing teed off.

So what’s his goal for the final day?

“To win,” he said. “Look, if I play the way I did today, who knows what could happen. This course is only going to get tougher. I know it's not going to be easy. Today was not easy by any means. I just put it in the right spot, kept the ball in front of me, really just played very simple golf.”

That’s a fine strategy at Pinehurst – one that kept Morikawa in the conversation for Sunday.