Collin Morikawa Delivers Another Bogey-Free Round at Detroit, Is Within 4 Strokes of Lead

Fellow Cal grad Max Homa fires a 69 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic but is 10 strokes back.

Cal grad Collin Morikawa continues the hottest stretch he’s enjoyed in quite a while, but he’ll need another big day Sunday to challenge for a victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic at the Detroit Golf Club.

Morikawa, without a victory for nearly two years, shot a five-under 67 for the second straight day and is at minus-16 through 54 holes.

But he is four strokes back of third-round leader Rickie Fowler, who is hoping to end his own victory drought of four years. Morikawa is part of a five-way tie for sixth place.

Fellow Cal grad Max Homa, ranked No. 9 in the world, was at four-under par for the day before a bogey on the 18th left him at 69 and in a 14-way logjam for 30th place. Homa is at 10 under through three days, 10 strokes back of Fowler.

Morikawa, the world’s 20th-ranked golfer, assembled his third bogey-free round in his past four, including two this weekend. Over his past 72 holes, including his final round at the Travelers last week, the 26-year-old is 23 under par with 20 birdies, two eagles and just one bogey.

He shares sixth place with Taylor Moore, Dylan Wu, Justin Lower and Carl Yuan. Among those four, only Moore (No. 51) is ranked among the top 150 golfers in the world.

Homa — like Morikawa — has played three consecutive rounds in the 60s at Detroit, but his round of 69 on Saturday actually dropped him from a tie for 29th after the second round to a tie for 30th.

Fowler assembled nine birdies and one bogey to score 64 and zoom into the lead.

"I'm not scared to fail," said Fowler. "I've dealt with plenty of that.”

Canadians Adam Hadwin (minus-19) and Taylor Penrith (minus-18) are second and third with Aaron Rai and Peter Kuest tied for fourth at 17 under.

Lightning in the area caused play to be halted for 1 hour, 42 minutes on Saturday and Sunday’s schedule was adjusted in hopes of avoiding further bad weather in the forecast. 

Cover photo of Collin Morikawa by Junfu Han, USA Today

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