At this level a yr in the past, Collin Morikawa arrived in Japan feeling moderately gloomy. He had not gained since his triumph at Royal St. George’s in 2021, the place he grew to become the Champion Golfer of the Yr that summer season. However within the eight majors between then and final yr’s ZOZO Championship, he nonetheless managed to submit three prime 10s. But, questions on his type and expertise lingered. However deep down, Morikawa knew it was not if he would win once more however when.
Effectively, Morikawa gained the ZOZO by six pictures that week, rising victorious for the primary time in over two years. An amazing weight fell off his shoulders; you would see it when he embraced his caddy, Jonathan Jakovac, on the 18th inexperienced in celebration.
“Even in these robust occasions, let’s name it the previous two years, proper, [Jakovac has] caught by means of it. We’ve sat on the vary for longer than I feel I’ve ever hit balls on the vary for the previous two years. He’s accomplished greater than in all probability what I may have even requested for out of a caddie, and that’s saying loads. You recognize, it’s not like these guys are simply carrying a golf bag, you realize? He’s proper there. He’s a pal, he’s a mentor, he’s somebody I depend on, he’s somebody I respect. He’s every thing,” Morikawa stated after his win in Japan final yr.
“I wouldn’t be right here proper now with out him. We’ve spent so many hours simply making an attempt to determine this out, and he’s spent numerous hours going by means of movies on his cellphone that I’ve despatched him to attempt to determine what made us higher three years in the past than the place we’re the previous couple of years. We tried every thing. We’re making an attempt a bunch of issues. Typically, you simply hit it; you discover what you should discover. It simply occurred to be that we needed to break it down a bit of bit extra, go down a bit of bit extra floor stage, and perceive it. He’s superior. He’s completely the most effective. I’d not be right here, and I’d not have gained my sixth PGA Tour with out him. I’ve been fortunate to have had him since day one after I turned professional.”
Morikawa’s subsequent official begin on the PGA Tour got here in early January at The Sentry in Maui, the place he completed in a tie for fifth. However after that, Morikawa struggled as soon as once more. His ball putting was nowhere close to the place it was when he gained two majors within the span of 11 months. He couldn’t make a putt, too, as evidenced by his missed cuts at Torrey Pines and Bay Hill.
He then determined to attempt to proper the ship on the Valero Texas Open—the week earlier than The Masters—and tied for seventy fifth, a particularly disappointing end contemplating the low-caliber discipline of that occasion.
But, golf is a humorous sport.
Instantly after arriving at Augusta Nationwide for the 2024 Masters, the day after that abysmal end in Texas, Morikawa headed straight to the Match Observe Space. Whereas there, he and Jakovac found one thing in his swing.
“We discovered one thing early on Monday, and we’re simply type of sticking with that,” Morikawa stated after his second spherical at this yr’s Masters.
“Typically you want one swing thought, and I simply needed to discover what was working. It’s a great time for it to begin coming collectively.”
No matter Morikawa found on that day—Elicpse Day—turned him into the most effective gamers on the earth once more. It’s nearly as if Morikawa blossomed into a unique participant, turning away from his previous struggles and changing into a prime contender once more. The Photo voltaic Eclipse served as an ideal metaphor for Morikawa’s transition.
Since then, he has arguably been the most effective participant, not named Scottie Scheffler or Xander Schauffele. However he has not gained since final yr’s ZOZO Championship, a notable improvement contemplating the expertise he has flashed.
He contended at each The Masters and the PGA Championship, enjoying within the remaining teams on Sunday in each. If not for his self-described “greed,” possibly Morikawa would have donned the Inexperienced Jacket as a substitute. The ultimate spherical at Valhalla didn’t go his method both, as he couldn’t get a birdie putt to drop till the 18th inexperienced. He ranked third to final in strokes gained placing that day.
Nonetheless, since making that discovery beneath the Georgia Pines, Morikawa has completed outdoors the highest 20 solely 4 occasions, together with his worst outcome being a T-28 on the BMW Championship in late August. He has performed in 13 tournaments because the 2024 Masters, which features a pair of runner-up finishes to Scheffler, who had a Tiger Woods-like marketing campaign in 2024. Morikawa got here near de-throning the World No. 1 on the Memorial however misplaced by a stroke. Then, three months later, Morikawa turned in a spectacular effort on the Tour Championship however fell quick due to the Beginning Strokes Format. If it had been a daily stroke play occasion with out the handicapping, Morikawa, not Scheffler, would have gained at East Lake that week. His strategy play was on hearth.
Nonetheless, after Scheffler lifted the FedEx Cup trophy, somebody requested Morikawa if he may assess his 2024 season. His response is telling:
“I’ve bought to begin enjoying higher in remaining rounds. That’s what it comes right down to,” Morikawa stated in Atlanta.
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“It’s not like I needed to do something particular in a handful of these rounds. I didn’t need to shoot 63s to win. I don’t know what number of remaining teams I used to be on this yr, however sufficient to the place I can assume of some simply off the highest of my head, and when you are able to do that, you hope to think about the wins. I’ve bought to determine tips on how to—not maintain the power however simply maintain the golf and determine how will we shoot a 5-under in a remaining spherical the place it’s simply easy.”
What’s loopy about Morikawa is he doesn’t want to alter a lot. He solely wants a bounce or two to go his method. Sure, he’s that good. He displayed that on the Presidents Cup, too, profitable 4 factors for the People en path to their historic victory. Solely Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay matched his four-point efficiency, proof that Morikawa is once more among the many better of the most effective.
However now he arrives in Japan one yr later, trying to find one other victory. He’s lengthy overdue, particularly contemplating how properly he has performed since April.
Morikawa has been a staple on each leaderboard, whether or not at Colonial, The Olympics, or East Lake. He additionally completed among the many prime 16 at each the U.S. Open and The Open, capping off a splendid main championship season at Royal Troon.
Now, it’s time for him to complete atop the leaderboard.
Contemplating his prior success on this golf course and this week’s restricted discipline, the defending champion is as robust of a decide as any. In fact, his otherworldly iron play, which has been strong however lower than his normal this season, excellent quick sport, and great accuracy off the tee are three good causes in and of themselves. However when push involves shove, it’s a matter of getting the job accomplished.
He has all of the expertise on the earth to take action, and it will shock no one if he did. A win this week would additionally give him the boldness he wants going into 2025, which he hopes can be a ‘enjoyable yr,’ as he alluded to at East Lake. However it will additionally cap off a outstanding 2024, one which has been clouded by the Scheffler and Schauffele reign. A win for Morikawa is lengthy overdue, and I consider he lastly delivers with a victory this week.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Make sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
