Collin Morikawa, Byeong Hun An Stumble Near PGA Finish Line

An bogeyed his final hole — No. 9 — to finish the day at 2-under 69 and tied for 20th place.

Morikawa, the world’s fourth-ranked player, made double bogey on the 18th hole to close at 1-under 70 and fall 21 spots into a 17-way tie for 29th.

Former Cal golfer Michael Kim closed with birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 18  to card an even-par 71 that has him tied for 46th place.

Former Golden Bear Max Homa made a bogey on No. 15 and a double bogey on 16, skidding to 2-over 73 and a tie for 73rd place. Homa will need to make a move Friday to avoid missing the cut when the field is trimmed to the top-70 and ties before the weekend.

Jhonattan Vegas, a 40-year-old Venezuelan who has lived the past 23 years in Houston, birdied nine holes, including his last one, to climb into a one-stroke lead with a 6-under 65. 

American Ryan Gerard and Australian Cam Davis share second place after rounds of 5-under 66. They exited the course tied for first before Vegas made his late run.

Gerard, a 25-year-old native of nearby Raleigh, NC who has never won on the PGA Tour, was at 7 under before bogeys on his final two holes. Davis put together seven birdies and just one bogey through his first 17 holes, moving one stroke ahead of Gerard. But he bogeyed his final hole to drop back into a tie with Gerard.

Five players share fourth place at 67, including Luke Donald, a 47-year-old from Great Britain, who has not won since 2012 and is No. 871 in the world rankings. 

The world’s three highest-rated players had mixed results Thursday.

No. 1 Scottie Scheffler needed a birdie on No. 18 to card a 69, leaving him four strokes off the pace and tied for 20th. No. 2 Rory McIlroy shot a 74 and is tied for 98th, in jeopardy of missing the cut. And No. 3 Xander Schauffele posted a 1-over 72 and is tied for 60th.

Playing together in a threesome, all three suffered double-bogeys on the 535-yard 16th — the longest par-4 hole on the course. The trio began play on the back nine, so the 17th was their seventh hole of the day.

"I kept the honor after making a double," Scheffler said. "Probably the first and last time that'll happen in my career, unless we get some crazy weather conditions."

An, who played the back nine first, was on the verge of a special round after a birdie on No. 7 and an eagle on No. 8 had him at 3 under. He gave one stroke back with the bogey that ended his afternoon.

Morikawa, winner of the PGA Championship in 2020, had six birdies and three bogeys through 17 holes before posting a 6 on the par-4 18th hole.

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