- November 21, 2024
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Sometimes golf tournaments come down to the final hole. Other times, the leader after round three makes it clear he's not giving it up.
This weekend, The Concession Golf Club saw the latter version.
Collin Morikawa shot a three-under-par 69 on Sunday to hit 18 under par overall and win the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession. Morikawa used steady play to his advantage, sinking four birdies to just one bogey on Sunday. He won by two strokes over a group of three golfers (Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland and Billy Horschel) at 15 under par that was chasing him all afternoon.
They never could catch him.
"This tournament means so much," Morikawa said. "With how good the field was, how good my game felt, to close it out like this with such a stacked leaderboard coming after me really means a lot."
Throughout his final round, Morikawa never looked like the nerves of leading a WGC event were getting to him. Morikawa said he has been practicing how to prepare for moments like these, which is why he was calm. His focus was on one shot, then another, and then another, Morikawa said. Keeping it simple paid off for him in the end.
Morikawa's win makes him the second golfer to win a major championship (the 2020 PGA Championship) and a WGC event before turning 25. The other golfer to achieve the feat was Tiger Woods, whom Morikawa calls one of his golfing idols and whom was in the thoughts of the golf community at-large after suffering serious leg injuries in a car accident on Feb. 23. Many golfers, like Tony Finau, Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy, wore red and black outfits Sunday to honor Woods. Morikawa said he attempted to do the same but the outfit Adidas sent him was held up by inclement weather.
"You know, my agent said even though the shirt wasn't there, go out and play like Tiger would with the lead," Morikawa said. "I think I did."
Rounding out the top five of the leaderboard was Scottie Scheffler, who finished at 14 under par.