Day fires up as Morikawa wins on PGA Tour

Australian Jason Day has returned to form while American Collin Morikawa registered his second US PGA Tour title with a play-off victory in Ohio.

By Australian Associated Press
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Jason Day has found timely and much-needed form as young gun Collin Morikawa claimed his second US PGA Tour title with victory at the Workday Charity Open.

Returning to his home club, former world No.1 Day broke out of a slump by posting his best result since February with a tie for seventh at 11-under at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio.

It augurs well for the Australian, now ranked No.63, as the tour is playing back-to-back events on the course, setting him up for another strong showing in this week's prestigious Memorial tournament, when the course set-up is expected to be tougher.

Morikawa will rise to No.13 in the world at the age of 23, having narrowly avoided another play-off heartbreak after Justin Thomas squandered a three-shot lead with three holes to play.

Morikawa, who lost a play-off to Daniel Berger at the Charles Schwab Challenge last month, caught up with a closing 66 on after Thomas bogeyed the 16th and 18th in regulation to send the pair to extra holes.

Tied at 19-under par after four rounds, the duo put on a putting masterclass on the first play-off hole for birdies, with Thomas letting out a roar after sinking a 50-footer.

Morikawa had to make a 25-foot putt to keep playing and duly obliged.

Thomas missed the fairway on the third play-off hole and got stuck behind a tree, and it was Morikawa who kept his nerve for the win.

"We got No.1 (victory) out of the way. We got No. 2. Let the gates just open and let's keep going," Morikawa said.

But it was a bitter defeat for world No.5 Thomas, who had a two-stroke lead over Norwegian Viktor Hovland going into Sunday.

"It's completely unacceptable to give up a three-shot lead with three to go," Thomas said. "I'm upset, I'm disappointed in myself."

After missing the cut in three of his previous four events since the tour's resumption from the coronavirus-forced shutdown, Day was the best-placed Australian with Matt Jones (70) one stroke further back.

Day's closing five-under-par 67 was his equal-lowest round since his fourth-place finish at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am five months ago.

His strong showing propelled the 31-year-old from 101st to 79th in the tour's FedEx Cup standings.


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