Cal Golf: Collin Morikawa Fires 64 at Colonial as the PGA Returns After 3 Months

Former Cal star is part of a four-way tie for third place, one stroke back of the co-leaders

Updated

Second-year pro Collin Morikawa, formerly of Cal, shot a six-under 64 in the opening round of the Charles Schwab Challenge on Thursday and sits in a four-way tie for third place as the PGA circuit resumed play.

Morikawa, 23, is part of a group just one stroke behind co-leaders Justin Rose and Harold Varner III, both of whom carded 63s. Morikawa's 64 matched the low round of his professional career.

The event at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, is the first PGA tournament held since March when the COVID-19 virus halted sports and most public activity in the United States.

The tournament has been altered to accommodate concerns stemming from the coronavirus, including being played without spectators. Before play began in the morning, a moment of silence was held in remembrance for George Floyd, killed by a Minneapolis police office on Memorial Day.

Morikawa is tied for third place with Abraham Ander, Jhanattan Vegas and Justin Thomas. Golfers survived temperatures that reached 91 degrees.

Collin Morikawa lines up a putt on the seventh green.

Photo by Raymond Carlin III

The day didn’t begin particularly well for Morikawa, who bogeyed the par-4 10th hole. But he had just one more bogey the rest of the day while posting eight birdies, tied for the most of any golfer on Thursday.

One of his birdies came on the par-4 fifth hole, often mentioned as one of the best and most difficult in the country.

He hit 9 of 14 fairways and made 13 of 18 greens in regulation.

Morikawa said putting was the key to his round. "It's crazy. I was hitting some really good iron shots, gave myself some close birdies," he told the Gold Channel. "But overall, I felt really good with the putter today. That's huge for me."

Morikawa is well-positioned to make the cut Friday, which would make him 22-for-22 in the category to start his professional career. Tiger Woods holds the record of 25 straight cuts to start a career.

Morikawa said he was fortunate to be living in Las Vegas, where many golf courses remained open for much of the past three months. "For me, it was just to pick up where I left off," he said. "It's a level of comfort. I feel completely comfortable out here. I know a bunch of these guys, and that's what makes it easier for me."

Former Cal golfer Byeong-Hun An is tied for 26th and four strokes back after shooting a 67. Max Homa, another Cal alum, matched four birdies with four bogeys to finish at even-par 70, leaving him in a tie for 78th place, seven strokes off the pace.

The Charles Schwab Challenge, as it’s now called, is the oldest non-major PGA tournament in the United States, having started in 1946. Ben Hogan won the event five times, while Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Billy Casper, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson and Phil Mickelsen also has posted victories at Colonial.

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Cal Sports Report on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page.