Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa and his baby draw atop the stacked leaderboard at the 2022 U.S. Open

BROOKLINE, Mass. — A week before the 2021 Open Championship, Collin Morikawa was lost as he struggled to finish 71st in the Scottish Open in his first encounter with links golf, befuddled by the sand-based, firm turf that was wrecking the accuracy of the masterful iron player.

Upon his arrival at Royal St. George’s a day later, he switched out a few irons, hunkered down on the practice ground and then won the Claret Jug for his second major championship.

Ahead of this week’s U.S. Open at The Country Club, Morikawa had been adrift during his tour of the PGA Tour, calling it a weird year and knowing he’s the only player in the top 10 in the world ranking who has not won this season. The culprit? His bread-and-butter cut with his irons has been disoriented.

So he’s set up camp for a few weeks now on driving ranges trying to work through it, even adding a small draw – think a 2-yard bend – to his arsenal. And the draw has worked so well he’s put the cut in the trunk for the most part.

“No,” Morikawa said when asked if the baby draw was here to stay. “What it proves is just you can play this game with many shots. I remember the first time I played with Tiger, and he hit every shot that called for it. Pin is on the right; you hit a little cut. Pin is on the left; you hit a little draw.

“I think this is just going to hopefully make my iron play and make my game a little bit more well-rounded rather than just hitting a cut. But this week we’re just going to work with what we have, and right now it’s a little baby draw.”

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Well, it’s working just fine. Morikawa fashioned a solid 4-under-par 66 under bright skies and amidst calm winds in Friday’s second round to move to 5 under. Well positioned atop the first page of the leaderboard, Morikawa is 36 holes away from winning the third leg of the career Grand Slam, having won the 2020 PGA and last year’s Open.

But he’s only worried about the third round.

“Right now my game feels really good,” said Morikawa, ranked No. 7 in the world. “The last few days is a huge confidence booster for me heading into this weekend, and hopefully we can kind of make some separation somehow.”

It will be tough to separate from those also on the first page of the leaderboard.

Joining Morikawa at 5 under was Joel Dahmen, who has won one PGA Tour event but has looked very steady this week with rounds of 67-68. And the cream has started to rise to the top as No. 3 Rory McIlroy, last week’s winner in Canada, and defending champion, No. 2 Jon Rahm, are among those one shot back. McIlroy has posted 67-69, Rahm 69-67.

Two back is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (70-67). Three back are No. 9 Sam Burns (71-67) and No. 18 Matt Fitzpatrick (68-70).

“It’s fun for all of us because we all want to compete against the best and beat the best, and it’s obviously a lot more fun for people watching,” Rahm said. “I think it’s great for the game of golf that the highest-ranked players and the best players are up there (on the leaderboard), especially in the tournament where truly the best player ends up winning.”

Last week, McIlroy outdueled reigning PGA champion and No. 5 Justin Thomas and No. 15 Tony Finau over the last 36 holes to win the RBC Canadian Open. He relishes the opportunity once again to go against the best.

“For a little part of the day there, it seemed like I was going to be a few more behind, but I dug deep and played the last eight holes really, really well,” said McIlroy, who had an early double bogey but played his last eight in 3 under. “After I bogeyed 10, I just wanted to try to shoot under par. I had some chances coming up. Just played a really clean eight holes, which was pleasing. Hit fairways, hit greens, gave myself chances. Got myself right back in the tournament.

“You want to go up against the best to try to bring the best out of yourself. And to see Collin and Jon and Scottie and Sam up there and whoever else, that’s what major championship golf is all about. That’s what competition is all about.

I certainly don’t want it to be easy. I want guys to go out and shoot 65 so I have to go and shoot 64. That’s competition, and that’s at the heart of this game.

“I’m excited to be in that mix going into the weekend.”