Morikawa fired a bogey-free, nine-under 61 in the final round of the Travelers Championship to finish solo third, one stroke behind Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland.
Analysis:Morikawa improved his score as the tournament progressed, culminating in a spectacular final round. His performance Sunday was enough for him to enter the clubhouse with the lead and still had a chance to force a three-way playoff, but both Scheffler and Hovland finished with 21-under cumulative scores, and the duo will face off in a playoff Monday. Morikawa's 26 birdies were tied for most in the field, and he also led all players with an 88.9 percent GIR. He also finished second in driving accuracy, SG: Off-the-Tee and SG: Approach and 15th in SG: Putting. It was the fourth top-5 finish of the season for Morikawa and first since the RBC Heritage (T4) in mid-April. He's got some momentum behind him following his performances at TPC River Highlands and the U.S. Open (T17). Morikawa is not listed in the field for the John Deere Classic next week but should tee off at the Genesis Scottish Open on July 9, which would serve as his tune-up for The Open Championship, which he won in 2021 at The Royal St. George's Golf Club.
