Collin Morikawa didn’t qualify automatically for the US Ryder Cup team and his form was so poor in the months leading up to the 45th edition of the competition that many questioned Keegan Bradley selecting him as a captain’s pick.
Morikawa hasn’t recorded a top-10 finish on the PGA Tour since March and missed three cuts during that period – hardly the ideal preparation for the Ryder Cup.
Bradley wasn’t brave enough to leave Morikawa off the US Ryder Cup team, and he paid the price for that at Bethpage Black.
The six-time PGA Tour winner was in awful form throughout the three days of action on Long Island.
Bradley using Morikawa twice in the Ryder Cup foursomes alongside Harris English arguably cost the United States their chance of victory.
The two-time major winner was not suited one little bit to the layout at Bethpage, what with his lack of distance off the tee and his poor putting.
He quite simply should not have been picked by Bradley and he ended up taking just half a point from the three matches he played.
Collin Morikawa reacts after earning just half a point at the Ryder Cup
Morikawa hasn’t played well for a very long time now, so it was no surprise when he struggled during his matches at Bethpage.
He ranked 15th out of the 24 players in overall strokes gained for the week. The only surprise there is that he wasn’t nearer the bottom.
He has a lot of hard work to do, if he is to rediscover his best form during the 2026 season.
Morikawa took to his official Instagram account after Europe got the better of the United States at Bethpage last week.
And he shared his gratitude for being part of the team.
He said: “Not every day will go exactly to plan, but every day has something to be thankful for. Forever grateful.“
Collin Morikawa’s stats at the Ryder Cup
Morikawa actually performed better than most people expected.
That said, he was still in the bottom half in the strokes gained total standings.
| Stats | Morikawa’s Ryder Cup rank |
| Strokes gained off the tee | 6th |
| Strokes gained approach | 12th |
| Strokes gained around the green | 17th |
| Strokes gained putting | 18th |
| Strokes gained total | 15th |
His putting was atrocious, especially when he was under pressure to hole out for a half or a win.
Nobody will ever truly know what would have happened had Bradley picked himself over Morikawa for the Ryder Cup.
Or if the US captain opted for someone like Maverick McNealy instead, perhaps his team would have emerged from the week victorious.
As far as Morikawa is concerned, it’s now very much a case of going back to the drawing board ahead of the 2026 PGA Tour season.
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