Collin Morikawa on Pace For His Best Finish at the BMW Championship

The BMW Championships may no longer be able to keep Collin Morikawa down.

Morikawa delivered his third straight strong performance at the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs and finds himself alone in sixth place headed into Sunday’s final round at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis.

The BMW is the final stepping stone to the season-ending Tour Championship, which completes the three-week FedEx Cup playoffs. The 30 players who emerge Sunday atop the FedEx standings will compete in Atlanta next week for a $40 million purse, including $10 million to the winner.

Morikawa, the 29-year-old Cal graduate, was never in jeopardy of missing out on the Tour Championship. He began the week at No. 9 in the standings and was all but mathematically assured of a spot in the field.

And while he remains well back of third-round leader Wyndham Clark, Morikawa is in the process of assembling his best performance in seven attempts at this event.

He shot a 3-under 67 on Saturday, boosting him to sixth place at a tournament where he never has finished better than a tie for 25th. He tied for 33rd at the BMW Championship a year ago and was buried in 63rd place in 2022.

At 10 under par, Morikawa is a long way from threatening Clark, whose round of 65 elevated him to minus-17 and a five-stroke lead on the field.

Morikawa posted a 3-under par score over the final nine holes Saturday and briefly was tied for fourth place. He wound up with five birdies and two bogeys and is just two strokes out of second place.

Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay share the runner-up position at minus-12 and Chris Gutterup and Gary Woodland are tied for fourth at 11 under.

Clark was untouchable from the second hole through No. 17, assembling six birdies, an eagle and no bogeys over that 16-hole span. Safely on his way to the Tour Championship thanks to his No. 5 place in the standings entering the week, he began his Saturday with a double-bogey on the first hole, then gave those behind him a bit more hope when he bogeyed the 18th.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is not a threat to win after a third-round 68 left him tied for 15th place, 12 strokes off the lead at minus-5. He’s headed to Atlanta next week in any case.

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