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BROOKLINE, Mass. — Collin Morikawa is a good guy. educated boy Thoughtful, observant, humble. That is why it pains us to say the following: Man cannot be trusted.
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That’s not a sprinkling done lightly and any player will second it, as earlier in the week Morikawa told anyone who would listen that his game was in an awkward spot. His favorite court wasn’t cutting it and he had no appetite for a tie. She understood what was happening, her face closed in shock, but for the life of her she hasn’t been able to correct it.
“Since two weeks, probably pretty bad,” Morikawa said in evaluating his game Tuesday. “This whole year has been weird. I have been known for my irons and known for hitting cuts. That shot just hasn’t been there.”
Turns out that alleged confession was a hoax, as it’s Friday night and Morikawa, of little faith, is tied for the US Open lead.
“I think it was a continuation of yesterday,” Morikawa said, turning in a 66 in the second round to complement his opening day 69, atop the board with Joel Dahmen at five under. “I just didn’t blow off steam the last nine holes. It was stalling a bit for the last nine holes. I had a lucky break and shot on the 8 and unfortunately missed the putt but that kept the round going.”
Maybe we should have known better. After all, Morikawa said last July that the golf links threw him for a loop at the Scottish Open, only to win the Open Championship the following week. He is either a quick, quick learner or a cunning little rascal.
In Morikawa’s defense, at least here at Brookline, he wasn’t lying: the cut is still missing, and Morikawa’s outrage that he hasn’t returned is real. But it turns out that the draw can also be lethal. Entering the week in fifth place in SG/focus, Morikawa won over two and a half strokes on the field in this category on Friday afternoon. After the round of him, Morikawa said that the draw has not only grown on him, but could finally unlock the potential of him.
“I think what it shows is that you can play this game with a lot of shots,” Morikawa said. “I remember the first time I played Tiger, and he hit all the shots that required it. The pin is on the right; you hit a little cut. The pin is on the left; you hit a small draw. I think this will just get my iron playing and make my game a little more complete rather than just hitting a cut. But this week we’re just going to work with what we have, and right now it’s a little baby raffle.”
His day was not without its imperfections. No US Open card is. He bogeyed the fourth and parried the fifth, and while par is usually his friend in the national championship, the fifth is a manageable par 4 that he played as the second-easiest hole on Friday. He hit his second shot for 208 yards from four feet, but couldn’t convert the eagle, looking at his putter as if it betrayed him.
Of course, we’re criticizing the player who has beaten 154 others and is tied with another on 36 holes, and that putter, one who has often been Morikawa’s enemy, has been his friend in Boston, winning more than three strokes against his competitors on the dance floor Every time he’s been average on the greens in his fledgling career, it’s been tough. When the flat stick has been a weapon… good night, doctor.
Yes, it’s only 36 holes, and yes, this leaderboard has the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, a playful Aaron Wise and Dahmen better than he’ll let you believe, and a bunch of other formidable guys more than worthy. to take this crown. On the contrary, Morikawa has a habit of giving his best in the best events. He owns the Wanamaker Trophy and a claret pitcher, but also a T-8 at the 2021 PGA, a T-4 at the 2021 US Open and a fifth-place finish at this year’s Masters. If he wins this week, it would be his third major championship in just his 11th major appearance, and if that sounds ridiculous, he’s right: No player in the Masters era has won three majors in fewer starts.
Morikawa didn’t want to discuss what it could be, instead focusing on what he must do to get to that point. “Yes, it is an important championship. It’s the US Open. No one has really dug into it until now and it has slipped away, but you know what, right now my game feels really good,” Morikawa said. “The last couple of days have given me a huge confidence boost heading into this weekend, and hopefully we can part ways somehow.”
Confidence. That is a prerequisite in the national open. For two days, Morikawa seems like a confident man. Expect. Confidence… man… swindler. Figures. As we said, Collin Morikawa cannot be trusted.