DUBLIN, Ohio -- Collin Morikawa didn't get rattled by his first missed cut as a pro or his first time playing Muirfield Village.
Morikawa finally had a forced weekend off two weeks ago after 22 consecutive cuts to start his PGA Tour career, three short of the standard set by Tiger Woods. He bounced back Thursday in the Workday Charity Open with a 7-under 65 for a one-shot lead over Adam Hadwin.
It was a quiet day of work, typical for the PGA Tour with no spectators allowed in the return from the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. It was never more evident at Muirfield Village, which typically has enough fans to frame just about every hole.
Morikawa goes about his work quietly in any circumstances, and he was dialed in from the start of a relatively calm and steamy afternoon on the course Jack Nicklaus built. His shot into the par-5 fifth settled 3 feet away for eagle. All but one of his birdie putts was inside 12 feet. The only setback was a bogey from the fairway on the 18th.
"It's a beautiful tract. It's a very tough course, obviously, but you just have to map your way around it," Morikawa said. "You've got to be really smart. If you're not in the fairway, you've got to make sure you play smart. I was playing smart but I felt good with my irons, so I was able to attack some pins when they were accessible."
He liked it so much that Morikawa is even more excited about spending two weeks at Muirfield Village.
For the first time in 63 years, the PGA Tour will have tournaments on the same course in consecutive weeks. The Workday Charity Open fills a void this year for the John Deere Classic, which decided to cancel without being able to have spectators, a pro-am or corporate hospitality.
The second week at Muirfield Village -- the Memorial -- was supposed to be the first with fans since the PGA Tour returned June 11. That plan was scrapped at the last minute and it was clear how much work went into it.
There were signs for spectator parking along the streets outside the club. Concession and hospitality tents were a few days away from being completed. There was no point taking them down, because sound travels when no one is around.
Rory Sabbatini found out the hard way. He was at the top of his swing for his opening tee shot when a volunteer some 80 yards away laughed in conversation. Sabbatini flinched, sent his drive well to the right and he stood looking at the volunteer, too far away to realize what had happened.
Jon Rahm was in a perilous spot in juicy rough left of the 14th green, facing a downhill chip toward the water. He took a full swing for a flop shot, it came out softly and raced down the green and into the cup for a birdie.
Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Arkansas Razorbacks) fired a 2-under 70 and trails Morikawa by five strokes. Sebastian Cappelen (Razorbacks) shot a 2-over 74 and Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) finished with a 3-over 75.
Most of the good scoring came in the morning. Hadwin had five birdies over his last eight holes for a 66. Nick Taylor, a new father who chose to stay home in Canada for an extra month after the tour resumed, had an eagle at No. 11 and kept bogeys off his card for a 67. He was joined by past Muirfield Village winner Hideki Matsuyama.
Keegan Bradley had a 69 and was among 35 players who shot in the 60s. One shot summed up the environment at PGA Tour events at the moment. He hit a 6-iron on the par-3 fourth hole for an ace, and didn't even know it.
EUROPEAN TOUR
Luiten ahead in Austria
ATZENBRUGG, Austria -- The European Tour restarted Thursday after a four-month break because of the coronavirus outbreak with the first round of the Austrian Open, where former winner Joost Luiten shot a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead.
The Dutch golfer had been in good form before the suspension of the season in March and he picked up where he left off, starting and finishing his round with birdies and making eight of them in total.
Luiten won the event in 2013 and hasn't finished outside of the top 10 in his last four starts at the Diamond Country Club outside Vienna.
Scottish players Marc Warren and Craig Howie were tied for second after shooting 66s at the dual-ranked European Tour and European Challenge Tour event.
