Collin Morikawa stumbles for a second time

Paddy Morgan looks back at the final round of 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Collin Morikawa is a American professional golfer and is currently 25 years old. 2020 was a breakthrough year for the American as he won his first major at PGA Championship. Relentless iron shots and a fantastic eagle at the short par four 16th was the difference in Morikawa winning at TPC Harding Park. This was a statement win for Morikawa and showed at Harding Park that he is capable of beating the best players down the stretch.

2021 was an even bigger year for Morikawa. He won his second major at The Open. He was impeccable in the first three rounds and a fantastic display of short game in the final round at Royal St Georges. Winning two majors in a short space of time is never easy especially with the lack of crowds at these tournaments due to covid-19 restrictions.

The 2021 DP World Tour Championship was the final ever event on the European Tour. It would become the DP World Tour in 2022. Rory McIlroy looked like that he was going to win until his second shot collided off the flag stick on the short par four 15th. Morikawa showed initiative as he took control of the tournament with six holes to go. He shot a final round of 66 to win both the Race to Dubai and DP World Tour Championship.

The whole mark of his game was unbelievable approach play to the greens as he was ranked first in 125-150, 150-175 and 175-200 yards at the end of 2020/2021 season. He had the opportunity to finish 2021 as world number one if he won the end of season Hero World Challenge.

Morikawa took a five-shot lead into the final round of Hero World Challenge but collapsed with a four over round. The pressure of finishing the year as world number one might of got to him but it was very surprising to see Viktor Hovland win the 2021 Hero World Challenge.

2022 was a tough year for the two-time major winner as he missed the cut four times on the PGA Tour. He only finished four times in the top five at a tournament throughout 2022 as Morikawa went from world number two to 11. He showed that class is permanent as he was tied for the lead at the halfway stage of 2022 U.S. Open after shooting a second round of 66. A third round of 77 ended his dreams of winning his third major in 2022.

The Sentry Tournament of Champions is the first tournament of the year. A field of 39 teed it up in Hawaii. The field included 2021 FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, 2022 The Masters champion & world number two Scottie Scheffler, 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 The Open winner Collin Morikawa and three U.S. Open champions in Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and Jordan Spieth. There is plenty of opportunities to make birdies in this event with multiple short par fours and reachable par fives. Morikawa quickened up his routine and this was effective as he had a six-shot lead going into the final round.

Morikawa went seven clear after going to 27 under after eight holes of his final round. The first sign of nerves was on the par five ninth as Morikawa missed a short put for birdie and Rahm closed the gap to six after a birdie on the same hole. Morikawa has a bit of scar tissue with a big lead after not winning the 2021 Hero World Challenge. Rahm started to make his move as he birdied 12, 13 and 14 to get within three of Morikawa. Morikawa started to be conservative as he didn’t birdie the short par four 12thand made a huge mistake in reaching a bunker after his tee shot on the 14th hole. He put his second shot over the green and failed to get a par on the reachable par four 14th.

Rahm hit a huge drive on the par five 15th and holed an eagle putt to reach 26 under with three holes to go. Morikawa’s head was scrambled as he also had bogeys at the 15th and 16th to leave him on 24 under with just two holes to go. Rahm was playing ahead of Morikawa and got up and down to make birdie on the 18th to shoot a incredible final round of ten under. Morikawa was forced to make up three shots in just two holes. The American finished on 25 under and had to settle for second behind Rahm.

This is the second time that Morikawa failed to win after building up a big lead and it will take time for him to get over the shock. This was an dramatic finish with Rahm coming from seven behind to win the first PGA Tour event in 2023. The outcome of the Sentry Tournament of Champions wets the appetite for a huge season of golf in 2023.