Numero uno status beckons Morikawa at Albany on Sunday

In official PGA Tour events, Collin Morikawa is 1-for-2 converting the 54-hole lead/co-lead to victory. Photo: dailysabah.com
In official PGA Tour events, Collin Morikawa is 1-for-2 converting the 54-hole lead/co-lead to victory. Photo: dailysabah.com

Collin Morikawa (1st-18) holds a five-stroke lead entering the final round of the Hero World Challenge.

A win will move Morikawa to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career. He is currently 2nd.

 

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In official PGA Tour events, he is 1-for-2 converting the 54-hole lead/co-lead to victory (T2/2019 3M Open, Won/2021 World Golf Championships-Workday Championship).

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His last 54-hole lead of five strokes or more in an official Tour event: 6, Jon Rahm, 2021 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (WD).

The largest 54-hole lead in tournament history: 7 strokes (Jordan Spieth, 2014, won by 10; Hideki Matsuyama, 2016, won by 2).

 

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Morikawa is one of eight players in the field making tournament debut (others: Abraham Ancer, Sam Burns, Harris English, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler).

He has two top-10s in two PGA TOUR starts during the fall portion of the 2021-22 season, highlighted by a runner-up at THE CJ CUP.

 

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Morikawa won twice on Tour in 2020-21 (World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession, The Open Championship) and finished the season No. 26 in the FedExCup standings.

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He is making first start since winning the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai.

Brooks Koepka (2nd/-13) is making his fourth start at Albany. Most recently finished 18th of 18 players in 2017.

 

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He has made four starts on the Tour during the fall portion of the 2021-22 season with his best result coming at THE CJ CUP.

Collin Morikawa and Koepka have played two rounds together in official PGA Tour events (first and second rounds of 2021 U.S. Open; both players finished T4).

 

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36-hole leader Bryson DeChambeau records a 1-over 73 and enters the final round in ninth spot.

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