Cal Golf: Collin Morikawa Shoots Another 69 at the PGA, but it Could Have Been Better

Two late bogeys prevent Morikawa from climbing higher on the leaderboard

UPDATED

After knocking home four birdies over his first 11 holes Friday, Collin Morikawa came back down to earth at the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

The 23-year-old former Cal star bogeyed twice over the final five holes and wound up with a one-under par 69 for the second straight day.

Not bad, but it could have been so much better.

Morikawa, who was at three under for the day after back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes, wound up in a tie for 25th place at two-under 138.

He is six strokes off the pace — two more than he trailed by after Thursday’s opening round — but he easily made the cut in just his second career major and will play the weekend.

Another former Cal golfer Byeong Hun An, also made the cut and will play 36 more holes. But Max Homa, who won the 2013 NCAA championship while representing the Golden Bears, could not overcome a rough Thursday and is done.

The second-round leader is Haotong Li, a 25-year-old from Hunan, China, who is seeking his first victory on the PGA tour. He shot a 65 and sits at eight-under 132.

Six players are two strokes back, tied for second at six under, including two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka.

Tiger Woods, after shooting a 68 on Thursday, carded a 72 but made the cut with a 140.

*** SI contributor Ryan Asselta breaks down Friday's Round 2 action at the PGA:

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Morikawa, ranked 12th in the world entering the week, birdied and fourth, fifth, 10th and 11th holes — sinking a long putt not he par-3 11th,

But his late stumbles knocked hm out of the top 10. He bogeyed 14 and 17 before finishing with a par. It was the second day in a row he shot a 4 on the par-3 17th.

Byeong Hun An shot a 69 on Friday to make the cut with a two-round scorer of one-over 141. The former Cal golfer shot a 72 in Thursday’s opening round.

He had a double-bogey six on the seventh hole but countered that with birdies on 13, 16 and 17.

Homa rebounded from Thursday’s 74 and was on his way to a strong round before making a double-bogey to finish at 71 and a two-day score of five-over 145. 

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

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