Leaderboard: DJ keeps WGC-Mexico lead

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Collin Morikawa took one last look at the Claret Jug when he woke up Monday morning. After a year together, Morikawa finally had to say goodbye to the oldest trophy in professional golf. “It sucked. It really did,” he said about returning the prize for his triumph in last year’s Open Championship, when he became just the fifth player since World War II to win in his Open debut. “But I don’t want to dwell on the past,” he added. “I always look forward to what’s next.” This week, Morikawa will try to master one of the game’s most unique tests, the Old Course at St. Andrews. Jack Nicklaus called it golf’s toughest course to learn and said “there is nothing remotely like it,” thanks to its blind shots, dramatic humps and bumps and enormous greens. What’s next for Morikawa also may be a new approach to the aspect of the game that’s most responsible for his quick success as a pro. He’s been known as one of the TOUR’s top iron players since turning pro three years ago, but now he’s seeking to become more of a shot-shaper instead of relying almost exclusively on his trademark fade. Morikawa said last week that he “worked the ball more than ever” at the star-studded J.P. McManus Pro-Am that preceded the Genesis Scottish Open last week. That should be an asset this week, as firm conditions should only accentuate the effect of the Old Course’s slopes and swales. The crosswinds that blow across the historic grounds put a premium on players who can curve the ball both ways, as well. Nicklaus won here in 1970 after reluctantly tweaking his setup to hit right-to-left tee shots that held up against the prevailing wind. Morikawa said his emphasis is on playing the “right” shot for each occasion. His iron play is often compared to that of Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods, two players who consistently rank near the top of the TOUR’s Strokes Gained: Approach statistic. Now he’s trying to emulate them, as well. It was Woods who told Thomas years ago that he needed to add more shots to his repertoire. The constructive criticism came after the two played together in the 2018 Genesis Invitational. Thomas took it to heart and turned into one of the game’s best shot shapers. That skill was on full display during the second round of THE PLAYERS Championship, when high winds buffeted the course during a week of wild weather. Morikawa was playing with Thomas that day and was impressed with what he saw, calling it one of the best rounds he’d ever seen. “He had full control of his golf ball,” Morikawa said. “He worked it both ways. And the few times I’ve played with Tiger, … he worked the ball when he needed to. He played the right shots.” Perhaps a new approach could help Morikawa end the longest winless streak of his career. Last year’s Open Championship remains the most recent of Morikawa’s five PGA TOUR victories. The Open is his 20th start since that win. He still ranks 21st in the FedExCup thanks to two runners-up and top-five finishes in two of the year’s three majors. Those high finishes have come on the strength of strong Sunday rounds, however. “I am looking for something,” he admitted Monday. “I really haven’t been in contention at all this year in any tournament and it sucks because I love being in those spots.” Playing well at the U.S. Open even though he couldn’t call upon his usual left-to-right shot was a revelation, however. At times, he’s tried to force the fade even when it wasn’t working. But at Brookline he didn’t fight the slight draw that his swing produced that week. “That’s the biggest thing is having those nine windows, nine different shots, every little shot,” said Morikawa, referring to a phrase often used by Woods that represents every combination of height and shot shape. Especially at the Old Course. There may not be a course where such creativity is more important than the Old Course.

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Tiger Woods was named the next U.S. Presidents Cup Captain on Tuesday, just two days after his best PGA TOUR finish in nearly five years. The timing raises an obvious question. Has he thought about bringing his clubs to Royal Melbourne? It was the first inquiry he fielded from the media. Woods chuckled before giving a straightforward answer. “Yes, I have.� Next question. Woods’ quick success in this latest comeback at least makes the idea feasible. A lot could change over the next 639 days, but Woods has proven he’s capable of winning when he’s healthy. The 2019 Presidents Cup will be played in Australia on Dec. 12-15. He showed glimpses of his old self at last week’s Valspar Championship, where he finished one shot behind Paul Casey. Woods, 42, will be the youngest Captain in the Presidents Cup’s history and he’s shown that he can keep up with the kids on TOUR, ranking second in clubhead speed this season. The Captain’s role involves much more than making picks and setting lineups. Juggling those myriad duties while properly preparing to play an international competition is no easy task, but the improved infrastructure of the U.S. side could help Woods handle the dual roles. Woods could lean on experienced Captain’s Assistants like Fred Couples, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk and Davis Love III to lighten his load. “There’s a few people who carry enough weight and could focus enough, like Jack (Nicklaus) or Arnold (Palmer). I think Tiger is definitely in that group,� said two-time Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III. “If Davis Love is a playing Captain, guys would worry. If Tiger’s playing, they’re excited that we have him on our side. He’s going to win points and be a leader. “I think it will be the best thing ever for the Presidents Cup.� Like many good ideas, a Woods captaincy was first floated on a group text. This one was between recent U.S. captains. They told Woods that he would be on the short list for the next Presidents Cup captaincy. After some thought, Woods called PGA TOUR Commissioner Monahan to express his interest and asked if it would be possible to also play at Royal Melbourne. Monahan gave the only reasonable answer. “Yes.� Woods has played eight Presidents Cups. He’s holed the clinching putt three times (2009, ’11 and ’13). He has a 24-15-1 record. Only Phil Mickelson has won more matches. He has an affinity for Royal Melbourne, which was designed by the same man, Dr. Alister Mackenzie, who laid out his beloved Augusta National. Woods played the two previous Presidents Cups at Royal Melbourne. He went 2-3 both times, but won his singles match each year. The entire U.S. Team struggled at Royal Melbourne in 1998 as the Internationals scored their lone Presidents Cup victory. Thirteen years later, Woods holed the winning putt there. Woods would likely have to qualify for his own team. A format change for 2019 will make that task tougher, though. The top eight in the U.S. Team standings after the 2019 TOUR Championship will earn spots on the team. That’s two fewer spots than previous years. The number of automatic berths was reduced because of the lengthy interval between the TOUR Championship and Presidents Cup in mid-December. Woods will have four Captain’s Picks. He has the resume to support a selection, but he seemed hesitant to lobby himself for a pick. “I would like to get to a point where I wouldn’t have to make that decision, to where I’m playing well enough where I could make the team on points,� Woods said. A playing Captain is rare, but not unprecedented. Hale Irwin played both roles in 1994. He compiled a 2-1 record in the United States’ 20-12 victory at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Prince William County, Virginia. Irwin beat Robert Allenby, 1 up, in the first singles match of the final day. The inaugural Presidents Cup was announced on April 13, 1994, just five months before the competition. Irwin won the RBC Heritage that same week. He was 48 and it was his first PGA TOUR win in four years. He was named the U.S. Captain a few weeks later. He bumped Jay Haas from the final automatic spot on the team with a 10th-place finish at the last event of the qualifying period, the World Series of Golf at Firestone Country Club. Irwin used his two Captain’s Picks on Haas and Phil Mickelson. It was Mickelson’s first time representing the United States as a professional. He hasn’t missed a Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup since. Arnold Palmer was the last playing captain in Ryder Cup history. Palmer, then 34, led the U.S. to the second-largest winning margin in Ryder Cup history. He went 4-2 in his team’s 23-9 victory at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The qualifying period for the 2019 Presidents Cup began at last year’s BMW Championship. Woods is 44th in the standings for his team. It’s too early to tell if he’ll be wearing two hats in Australia, though.  “That’s a bridge that’s a long way away from now to be crossing, but if it does come to that point, it won’t just be my decision,� Woods said. “It will be a collaborative effort, what is best for the team.� If Woods is playing well, there’s few things that could be better for the U.S. side.

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