Collin Morikawa points out what he finds ‘weird’ about Oakmont ahead of the US Open starting

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The shine has somewhat come off Collin Morikawa’s season in recent weeks, with the two-time major champion not finishing outside the top 20 in 2025 up until the week after The Masters.

It did appear that Collin Morikawa was getting back to his best in his quest to win on the PGA Tour for the first time since 2023. The world number four finished second at The Sentry and the Arnold Palmer Invitational – where he should have arguably won the latter.

However, he has not finished inside the top 15 since The Masters.

Morikawa was tied for 50th at the PGA Championship, and a 77 on Saturday put paid to his hopes of winning The Memorial Tournament.

Collin Morikawa explains what he finds ‘weird’ about Oakmont ahead of the US Open

Of course, for many, Muirfield Village would have been a pretty good warm up for the US Open at Oakmont this week. Jack’s Place is one of the toughest stops on the schedule, with level par enough to finish in a tie for 12th.

Morikawa was asked about the similarities between Muirfield Village and Oakmont. And perhaps thankfully for the 28-year-old, he suggested that there is only one area which stands out in his mind.

“Yeah, I would say the rough is the only similarities. This golf course, it’s weird, a lot of the tee shots, they’re very straight, but depending on the wind, the crosswinds, you kind of have to play it and favor one side with a lot of the slope, or they’re a blind tee shot. You don’t get that too much at Muirfield,” he said.

“Then the greens are so different because you don’t really see a lot of golf courses with front-to-back slopes, so that changes a lot with how we’re approaching these greens and depending where you are on the fairway or the rough. Then just how the slopes of these greens, the greens remind more of a links style green than anywhere else. So other than long rough, not so much.”

“Look, at the end of the day, when you have really long rough, hitting a nine iron is going to be more beneficial than trying to hit a six iron if the ball is really down just because you need loft to get out of the rough. I don’t think people understand how thick the rough is. It’s not wispy like the club is going to go through. Sometimes you see that at The Open,” he added, when discussing escaping from the rough.

“This is just thick. Clubs will turn over. You’re going to see guys trying to hit pitching wedge out and it’s going to go 45 degrees left because that’s how thick the rough is. That’s just how you have to play it.
It’s just being smart. When you’re in the rough out here, there’s still bunkers you have to carry. It’s not like you just play it out to the front of the green. There’s bunkers you might have to carry if you hit it off line. You’re just honestly trying to make 4 from 150 yards.”

How Collin Morikawa has performed in the US Open throughout his career

Perhaps it is because of his recent form, but it does feel that it has gone a little under the radar that Morikawa could move to within one leg of the career grand slam this week.

But the US Open has been a mixed bag for the youngster over the years. He has only ever missed one cut in a major which has taken place in the United States, and that came at Winged Foot in 2020.

Meanwhile, the US Open is the only major Morikawa is yet to register a top three finish in.

Having said that, he has finished inside the top 14 in each of the last four events. That bodes well for this week.

He has the accuracy to play well around Oakmont, but the length of the golf course may well be where he comes unstuck.