Collin Morikawa admits what he completely forgot about the golf course at the Sentry before he teed off on day one

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Collin Morikawa is two shots off the lead after carding a bogey-free opening round at The Sentry in Hawaii.

The world number four made three birdies on his front nine before registering four in a row on the back to shoot 66 and end the day seven under.

After Scottie Scheffler’s withdrawal, Morikawa is one of the favourites for the PGA Tour season opener and is in search of his first win since the 2023 ZOZO Championship.

Elsewhere, Tom Hoge leads the way on nine under. Will Zalatoris and Hideki Matsuyama are at eight under, and Corey Conners and Cameron Young join Morikawa at seven under.

World number two Xander Schauffele is eight shots back, and Justin Thomas, who has been hyped up over the off-season, is seven adrift after shooting 71 (two under).

What Collin Morikawa forgot about the Plantation Course

The Plantation Course at Kapalua is this week’s venue, and speaking during his post-round press conference, Morikawa admitted he’d forgotten just how sloped the course was.

A reporter asked: “Does the slopes and sort of the variety of lies when you have approach shots, do you enjoy that?”

Morikawa replied: “Yeah, there’s only a couple of courses that are like it. Obviously Augusta being one. You forget how sloped this golf course is and some of the shots you’re going to have. It’s playing pretty soft this year, so you hit a shot on 11, and I’ve got, or on 17, and I got 5-iron in off a big downslope.

“You just can’t let up because you got to remember what kind of cause and effect, uphill, downhill, where to miss it, and really just be really, really, I guess aggressive with what you’re committing to, because, with the slope and the wind, it can just be that much more of a miss when it happens.”

• READ MORE: Xander Schauffele admits how he felt after he heard Scottie Scheffler had to withdraw from The Sentry with injury

Major championship for Collin Morikawa in 2025?

Although Morikawa did not win in 2025, his performances suggest that he is poised to return to the winner’s circle.

Golf Channel pundit Rex Hoggard has backed Morikawa to challenge for The Masters, and after his 2024 performance at Augusta National, it’s hard to disagree. The American finished in a tie for third alongside Max Homa and Tommy Fleetwood.

Smylie Kaufman has also talked up Morikawa’s chances as the new season begins on Maui’s western slopes.

“He’s a guy that has not won in quite some time. But man, has he been right there. He’s been right there every single week,” Kaufman said. “He’s totally found his game back, and it would not shock me at all to see a year in which Collin has a similar result where he finds a way to win two majors. He’s done it before, winning The Open Championship and the PGA. He’s being slept upon so badly right now.”