Collin Morikawa Shoots 66, Soars to a Tie for 8th at RBC Heritage Golf

Collin Morikawa shot a bogey-free 5-under round of 66 and climbed 23 spots into a tie for eighth at the RBC Heritage on the Harbor Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island, SC on Friday.

Morikawa, the world’s fourth-ranked player, has nine birdies and two bogeys through 36 holes. He posted birdies on Nos. 2, 5, 13, 14 and 16 on Friday and is part of a five-way tie at eighth in the event that features a $20 million total purse.

The 28-year-old Cal grad is five strokes back of Justin Thomas, who followed his first-round 61 with a 69 and has a two-stroke lead at minus-12. Si Woo Kim and Russell Henley are tied for second at 10 under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and defending champion is tied for sixth at minus-8. He settled for a 70 on Friday after carding a 64 in the opening round. Rory McIlroy, coming off a victory at the Masters that completed the career grand slam, is taking the week off.

The RBC Heritage is one of the few tournaments on the PGA Tour that does not cut the field after the second round. That was good news the other three former Cal golfers in the field.

Max Homa, Michael Kim and Byeong Hun An are all tied for 57th at even par, 12 strokes off the lead.

Homa, coming off a 12th-place finish at the Masters, was at minus-2 for the day after the front nine. But he had a double-bogey on No. 10 and a bogey on No. 12 and finished with a 1-over 72.

Kim posted a 71 for the second day in a row after bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes. An rebounded from a 3-over 74 on Thursday with a 3-under 68 that included four birdies over the first 10 holes.

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