Heading into the final round of the 2024 Tour Championship, it seems like Scottie Scheffler’s charge to the FedEx Cup title can’t be stopped. But one person thinks Collin Morikawa can come-from-behind and steal the Cup. His name is Collin Morikawa.
“I knew this entire week I was going to need something special to come out on top and I’m going to need something very special [on Sunday],” Morikawa said Saturday evening following the third round. “But I believe in myself, and hopefully that comes out tomorrow.”
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The two-time major champion will start the final round a distant five shots behind Scheffler, but there is no one else closer to the World No. 1. The next nearest chaser is Sahith Theegala, who is nine shots back.
So barring a complete collapse by Scheffler, Morikawa does seem to be the only player with half a chance to challenge for the record $25 million winner’s bonus. And there’s one stat that backs up Morikawa’s confidence: no one has played East Lake better this week.
Without the FedEx Cup starting scores included, Morikawa is leading Scheffler by one shot, 17 under to 16 under.
Adding to his positive vibes heading into the final round is the extensive experience he’s had playing alongside Scheffler on Tour, and they will be paired together again on Sunday.
“Every experience that I’ve played [with Scheffler]… there’s been a lot that I can draw on,” Morikawa said. “Look, tomorrow I know I’ve got to go out from hole 1 and have a lot of energy and be ready to play golf and make something happen.”
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And while he admitted it’s going to be a tough task to top Scheffler in the grand finale of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, he explained why he thinks he has a chance.
“It’s going to be very hard, but I believe in myself that I can do it. Five shots is a lot, but two-shot swings happen. I think I’ve seen a couple over the past few days,” Morikawa reasoned Saturday night. “Look, I’ve just got to play my game. I’ve got to go low. I know that. Hopefully I’ve got that in me today. I’ve got 18 holes left to the season. I keep talking about that, but I’m going to put everything I have into these next 24 hours.”
It’s amazing that Morikawa is in this position in the first place, given how his season has gone so far. Though he’s captured seven top 10s and one runner-up finish in the 2024 season, he has failed to win a single tournament. Now with one more great round, he could win the season-long title and its enormous bonus prize anyway.
And Morikawa revealed that perspective following his third-round 67.
“Just knowing that where I was at the beginning of the year and where I am now, it’s the same me but different,” Morikawa explained. “Look, like I said, I’ve got 24 hours to just put everything I have, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we’re prepped and ready to go. It is what it is, whatever happens tomorrow.”
Morikawa and Scheffler tee off in the final pairing on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET.
