A Topsy Turvy Week Ends For Two Ex-Cal Golfers at the PGA Championship

Collin Morikawa birdied three of his final six holes Sunday to finish an uneven week at the 108th PGA Championship while fellow Cal alum Michael Kim once again suffered through a rough back nine at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, PA.

Morikawa, the world’s fifth-ranked player, could not maintain the momentum he gained with strong outings earlier this year.

The 29-year-old carded a 2-under 68 on Sunday, following rounds of 72 and 74 the two previous days that had him tied for 76th place. It left him at plus-3 for the week and tied for 55th place at the tournament he won in 2019.

Morikawa has mostly enjoyed a comeback season, winning at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February to snap a more than two-year victory drought, then finished in a tie for seventh at the Masters and a share of fourth place at the RBC Heritage.

In between, he suffered painful back spasms that put him on the shelf for a couple weeks. But when he fired a 1-under 69 in the first round this week it seemed he had found his rhythm.

Kim, 32, arrived at the PGA without outside expectations and shot a 3-over 73 on Thursday. But he closed out the second round by making an eagle on No. 9 for a 31 over his final nine roles Friday.

Then he shot a 30 over the same front nine to open play Saturday, giving him an 18-hole stretch where he needed just 61 shots.

But he had a double-bogey and three bogeys on the back nine Saturday, then stumbled again over that stretch on Sunday.

Kim opened the day with eight consecutive pars and a birdie on No. 9 before things went astray again. He had a double-bogey and two bogeys and finished the day at 2-over 72 for a final score of plus-2 good for a tie for 44th place.

Aaron Rai, a 31-year-old from England who is ranked No. 44 in the world, shot 6-under par over the final 10 holes — including a 68-foot birdie putt on No. 17 — to post a 65 on the way to a three-stroke victory at minus-9.

It’s just the second victory in 14 years on the PGA tour for Rai, who improved his score with each round this week, shooting 70, 69, 67 and 65. Rai, who takes home $3.69 million, is the first non-American to win the PGA since 2015.

Spaniard Jon Rahm and 29-year old American Alex Smalley, without a victory in seven years on the tour, wound up in a tie for second place at minus-6. Rahm shot a final-round 68 and Smalley carded a 70.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy finished in a tie for seventh at minus-4 and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler wound up tied for 14th at minus-2.

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