Collin Morikawa close to victory in the Bahamas and first in the world rankings | Golf| Breaking News Updates

Try telling Collin Morikawa that the Hero World Challenge is nothing more than an end of season cash back for guest golf stars. Morikawa is only 18 holes away from crowning a wonderful year, in which he won his first major championship and the European Tour Order of Merit, reaching world number 1 for the first time. .

Morikawa arrived in the Bahamas knowing that only victory would get him to this cherished position. He used the third round to demonstrate his appetite for the challenge. A 64 gave the 24-year-old a five-stroke lead at 18 under par, with Brooks Koepka leading what so far seems at least a futile charge. Morikawa, who got engaged here earlier in tournament week, believes he will end 2021 on another high. However, he’s not even close to admitting that victory is within his grasp.

“On this course, if it’s not a lot of wind, a lot of the guys here can do a lot of birdies early on,” said Morikawa. “I just have to go out and play like I was and be ready through hole one and play to the end. Nothing will be a gift tomorrow.

“I don’t know if ‘comfortable’ is the word, it’s just exciting. You love being in these places and you don’t get them every week. You would love to do it, but when you do, you want to enjoy it, so hopefully we can enjoy it tomorrow.

“I called my coach this morning because yesterday the driver was not working. I figured out a little thing about the lineup and it still didn’t work that well, but I found something out of 16, just something I can use for tomorrow, and everything else feels pretty good from here on out. the. The opposition was duly notified.

Morikawa’s turn was started by an eagle three in the 3rd. More hits were collected at 4, 9, 10, 11, 14 and 15. It was hard to believe this was his competitive debut at Albany. At the last, where Morikawa appeared in minor difficulty, he executed a magnificent bunker shot to leave a tap-in for par.

“Five back, so I have to do something,” Koepka admitted. “It’s always nice to be in the last group, but I still have to play well.” Koepka would be closer to the leader, but for a par double bogey three 8th.

Patrick Reed and Viktor Hovland each posted 67 points to drop to 12 under par. Sam Burns and Daniel Berger are on the same score, the former having produced a painful double bogey himself in the 18th. Bryson DeChambeau, who was leading at the start of day three, mumbled and whimpered as he made his way to a 73 with Morikawa. DeChambeau suddenly drags eight. The English duo of Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick have minus nine and minus seven respectively.

Rory McIlroy was six under for the tournament when he reached the 11th tee. What happened next won’t be on any McIlroy Highlights reel. He cut his tee shot to the right, and a stray bullet was the result. The third tee shot found the fairway, but the Northern Irishman shot his fourth into rocky ground.

McIlroy escaped off the green and subsequently over the putting surface. Add a third corner and two putts and McIlroy finally returned an inappropriate nine. He then signed for a 75, which means a total of minus five. The Christmas holidays cannot come soon enough for him.

This is not the case for Tiger Woods. The tournament host, who has been in Albany all week, appeared at the bottom of the training ground on Saturday afternoon where he hit a variety of punches, including with a pilot. A relaxed Woods signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans afterwards. Speculation is mounting that Woods, who was seriously injured in a car crash in February, could make an unlikely comeback alongside his son, Charlie, at this month’s PNC Championship in Orlando.