Rory’s number one ranking under threat from Scheffler as Morikawa roars six clear

Ronan MacNamara
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Collin Morikawa (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Ronan MacNamara

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Seamus Power could only muster a three-under 70 on day three of the Sentry Tournament of Champions as he drifted out to a share of 19th place on twelve-under-par.

While the Waterford native won’t be troubling the upper echelons of the leaderboard where Collin Morikawa (-24) has a six shot lead, there will be Irish interest at the summit as Scottie Scheffler remains on course to dislodge Rory McIlroy from his world number one spot.

The Masters champion needs to finish inside the top-3 to leapfrog McIlroy and he is currently in a share of second place on eighteen-under after a 69 with US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick and JJ Spaun.

Scheffler was absent from the field last year as he had not won a PGA Tour event, now he needs something special to earn back his world number one ranking in style with his fifth win in less than twelve months.

McIlroy remains idle this week and his fate remains out of his hands and Power looks set to lose his spot at the top of the FedEx Cup rankings having ended 2022 as the leader of the season long race.

The highlight of the day for the 35-year-old was an eagle on the par-5 5th which was followed by a birdie on the next having dropped a shot on the first.

The Tooraneena native has dropped too many shots on the very vulnerable Kapalua Plantation Course and he let another go on 13 before finishing strongly with birdies on 15 and 16.

Sunday will be about pride and finding some form ahead of his Hero Cup debut.

Morikawa looks set to arrest a winless run that stretches back to the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St Georges and it’s down to some incredible form on the greens, emphasised by a potentially tournament sealing 12-footer on the 18th having blasted his first putt through the break from off the green.

The American is second in strokes gained putting this week and is still yet to drop a shot after a 65.

The two-time major champion eagled the par-5 5th and added birdies on the sixth and ninth.

It wasn’t until late in the round that Morikawa left the field in his wake with four birdies in his last five holes.

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