At this level a yr in the past, Collin Morikawa arrived in Japan feeling relatively 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 photographs that week, rising victorious for the primary time in over two years. An amazing weight fell off his shoulders; you may see it when he embraced his caddy, Jonathan Jakovac, on the 18th inexperienced in celebration.
“Even in these robust instances, let’s name it the previous two years, proper, [Jakovac has] caught via 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 most likely what I might have even requested for out of a caddie, and that’s saying lots. You already know, it’s not like these guys are simply carrying a golf bag, ? He’s proper there. He’s a good friend, he’s a mentor, he’s somebody I depend on, he’s somebody I respect. He’s all the things,” 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 via movies on his telephone that I’ve despatched him to try to determine what made us higher three years in the past than the place we’re the previous couple of years. We tried all the things. We’re making an attempt a bunch of issues. Typically, you simply hit it; you discover what you must discover. It simply occurred to be that we needed to break it down somewhat bit extra, go down somewhat bit extra floor stage, and perceive it. He’s superior. He’s completely the most effective. I might not be right here, and I might not have gained my sixth PGA Tour with out him. I’ve been fortunate to have had him since day one once 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 75th, an especially disappointing end contemplating the low-caliber discipline of that occasion.
But, golf is a humorous recreation.
Instantly after arriving at Augusta Nationwide for the 2024 Masters, the day after that abysmal end in Texas, Morikawa headed straight to the Event Follow Space. Whereas there, he and Jakovac found one thing in his swing.
“We discovered one thing early on Monday, and we’re simply sort 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 among the best gamers on the earth once more. It’s nearly as if Morikawa blossomed into a distinct participant, turning away from his previous struggles and turning 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 growth contemplating the expertise he has flashed.
He contended at each The Masters and the PGA Championship, enjoying within the last 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 approach 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 instances, together with his worst end result being a T-28 on the BMW Championship in late August. He has performed in 13 tournaments for the reason that 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 brief due to the Beginning Strokes Format. If it have been an everyday stroke play occasion with out the handicapping, Morikawa, not Scheffler, would have gained at East Lake that week. His method play was on fireplace.
Nonetheless, after Scheffler lifted the FedEx Cup trophy, somebody requested Morikawa if he might assess his 2024 season. His response is telling:
“I’ve obtained to begin enjoying higher in last 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 must shoot 63s to win. I don’t know what number of last 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 obtained to determine how you can—not maintain the power however simply maintain the golf and determine how can we shoot a 5-under in a last 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 approach. 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 nicely 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 less than his normal this season, excellent brief recreation, and super 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 arrogance 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 exceptional 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 workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. You should definitely try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
