Morikawa claims 56th playing of Northeast Amateur

Cal product maintains 54-hole lead, wins by two

Photos by Richard W. Dionne Jr.
Posted 6/24/17

EAST PROVIDENCE — Collin Morikawa does not like to pay much attention to the various services that compile rankings of the best amateur golfers in the world. That could change after what he did over the last four days …

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Morikawa claims 56th playing of Northeast Amateur

Cal product maintains 54-hole lead, wins by two

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — Collin Morikawa does not like to pay much attention to the various services that compile rankings of the best amateur golfers in the world. That could change after what he did over the last four days at Wannamoisett Country Club.

The Cal All-American added to his already impressive resume when he won the 56th Northeast Amateur. He began the final day with a one-stroke lead over fellow All-American Doug Ghim of Texas, birdied the first hole and never lost the top spot.

He finished with an even-par 69 that gave him a 11-under 265 total, two shots better than Shintaro Ban of UNLV and Theo Humphrey of Vanderbilt. Ban closed with the best round of the tournament, a 7-under 62, while Humphrey posted a 68 on a day delayed for three hours by rain.

Morikawa’s 11-under total ties for third best in tournament history, behind Peter Uihlein’s record 15-under in 2011.

Depending on which rating service is used, Morkawa began the week anywhere from third to sixth in the world rankings. Obviously, the numbers will only get better after what he did at Wannamoisett.

"I do glance at the rankings," he said. "But you can’t really think about those things. You have to go out and play."

Morikawa had been the top ranked amateur in the world briefly earlier this year, but lost that spot to NCAA Champion Baden Thornberry. Thornberry also beat Morikawa in a playoff for the Sunnehanna Championship just last week in Pennsylvania. He withdrew from the Northeast after his Sunnehanna victory. In the last two years, Morikawa has won the Trans-Miss Amateur, the Silicon Valley Amateur, the Sunnehanna in 2016 and the ASU Thunderbird Invitational. After helping the United States win the Palmer Cup earlier this summer, he appears all but certain to have a spot on the Walker Cup team later this year. He is not taking that for granted.

"I’ve still got three big tournaments to play this summer," he said.

Where Morikawa had risen to the top of the leaderboard with superb play in setting a tournament scoring record through the first three rounds, he earned the title more with a display of grit than flat-out talent.

"I missed five of my first six greens, so I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy day out there," he said. "I just didn’t have my entire game out there. . . When I was making up-and-downs to save par all day, those are the ones that really count. I’m glad I found a way to win today."

"To be part of the history of the Northeast is fantastic," he said.

Morikawa began the day with a one-stroke lead and birdied the first hole. Ghim, who was in second, bogeyed, so Morikawa quickly was up by three. The lead varied between one and three the rest of the day. Ghim was the closest competitor much of the way but he bogeyed three of the last four to finish at 8-under and in fourth place.

While most of the attention was on the final group, UNLV’s Ban made many shake their head as they checked the final scoreboard. He came flying up the leaderboard as he posted the low round of the tournament, a 7-under 62, to surge into the tie for second at 9-under.

"I was never really in position (to win). All I could think was just give it my best. I’ve been on the road a long time never had a day to finish strong in a tournament. So today is a big momentum kind of thing," Ban said. His round equals his career best. He had a 62 in the ASU Thunderbird tournament.

"It’s a really stacked field. The Northeast Amateur is a really good one. I’m glad I played here instead of going back home to play a tournament, Ban said. "I’m glad I’m back here."

Morikawa made sure Ban’s performance was not enough by making a host of scrambling pars. That went all the way to the end. He missed the green on the 456-yard, par-4 closing hole for the fourth straight time. And for the fourth straight day, he was able to get up-and-down for par, chipping to four feet and making the putt to clinch perhaps the biggest title yet in his terrific young career.

The tournament was completed despite a heavy early morning rain storm, the remnants of tropical storm Cindy. Play began at 8 a.m., as scheduled, but had to be halted about a half hour later when the storm arrived.

The course received six-tenths of an inch of rain in two hours, bringing on standing water in several areas of the course, including the low-lying second green. Play resumed at 11:30 a.m.with much better conditions for the players. The greens were soft, the winds were down and the humidity was on the way down, as well.

The biggest problem was that the delay caused travel problems for a number of players who had booked flights for late afternoon and early evenings.

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