Collin Morikawa Falls Back to a Tie For 10th at St. Jude Championship

The Cal grad shoots a 2-over 72 after playing the first 36 holes at 9 under par

Collin Morikawa hits out of the bunker on the second hole | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

After two rounds that had him in contention for his first victory in 22 months, Collin Morikawa stumbled at the St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Saturday.

The 28-year-old Cal grad, who began the third round tied for third place and just four strokes off the lead, carded a 2-over 72 and dropped into a six-way tie for 10th at minus-7.

The final round of the first leg in the three-week FedEx Cup playoffs goes off Sunday and Morikawa already has clinched one of the 50 spots that advance to the BMW Championship next week by virtue of his No. 19 rank in the FedEx Cup standings.

Collin Morikawa sizes up his putt on the green on the third hole next to a pond | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He trails third-round leader Tommy Fleetwood by seven strokes after the 34-year-old Brit posted a 69 for a 54-hole total of 14 under par. Justin Rose, another Englishman, shot 67 and is alone in second place at minus-13.

Fleetwood has enjoyed a productive career but is still chasing his first victory on the PGA Tour.

Looming in third place -- just two strokes back -- is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the defending Tour Championship winner. He recorded a 5-under 65 in the third round, with six birdies and one bogey, and enters Sunday at 12 under.

Morikawa, who finished second behind Scheffler at the Tour Championship a year ago, had just one bogey through 36 holes this weekend. He had two bogeys and a double bogey on the 12th hole against just two birdies on Saturday.

J.J. Spaun and Andrew Novak share fourth place at minus-11 and four players are tied for sixth. Patrick Cantlay and Sepp Straka are among the half-dozen players, including Morikawa, in the 10th-place logjam.

Cal grad Michael Kim, who needed a top-20 finish this weekend to advance in the playoffs, is tied for 67th at 6 over after posting a 72 for the third straight day.

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