Cal Golf: No Breakthrough for Collin Morikawa at the Memorial on Saturday

Former Cal star shoots a third-round 73 and is 15 strokes behind the leader

Dragged down by three bogeys on his first 10 holes, Collin Morikawa made no headway against the leaders at the Memorial golf tournament on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Cal grad finished the third round at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, with a one-over-par 73 and resides in a tie for 45h place at plus-3 headed into Sunday’s final action.

Morikawa won the Workday Charity Open at this same facility a week ago, but has not fared as well this time around on the course built for Jack Nicklaus.

He is 15 strokes off the pace set by third-round leader Jon Rahm of Spain. Rahm shot a 68 on Saturday and is 12 strokes under par and leading the pack by four strokes.

Americans Ryan Palmer and Tony Finau are tied for second at 8-under.

Morikawa has struggled since Day 1 this week, shooting a first-round 76 after a three-hole stretch where he sandwiched two double-bogeys around a bogey. He was back on track Friday with a 2-under 70, but a bogey on the first hole Saturday set the tone for an uneven day on the course.

He also had bogeys on the eighth and 10th holes before playing 1-under par over the final eight holes.

Tiger Woods shot a 1-under 71 a day after carding a 76 and is tied for 37th place at plus-3.

Woods, who is making his return to the tour after a four-month hiatus for the COVID-19 pandemic, said his back was feeling much better than it did on Friday.

"Overall I felt like I played well, controlled the ball well," Woods said. "I hit one really bad shot there at 3, but other than that, it was a pretty good, solid day."

Meanwhile, Justin Thomas, who lost to Morikawa in a three-hole playoff last Sunday, finished the day Saturday with his father as his caddie. Jimmy Johnson, who serves as Thomas’ regular caddy, felt dizzy with little energy on a day where temperatures were in the 90s, and left the course.

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*** Even the pros have gruesome moments on the golf course. Here's a look back at Bryson DeChambeau's 10 on the par-5 15th hole at Muirfield Village on Friday:

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

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