What has been particularly strange about Collin Morikawa’s 2024 is the fact that he seems to have returned to an elite level, but done so without actually winning on the PGA Tour throughout the year.
Collin Morikawa endured a couple of tougher years, but the two-time major champion looked to be back to something like his best this past season. The 27-year-old was the one player who looked like standing any chance of catching Scottie Scheffler on the final day of The Tour Championship at East Lake.
And Morikawa was one of the standouts at the Presidents Cup, winning four points from his five matches at Royal Montreal as Jim Furyk’s men retained the trophy relatively comfortably.
Morikawa has just three players ahead of him in the world rankings, with Scheffler obviously the world number one after his incredible season. Xander Schauffele is second after winning two major titles in 2024.
Collin Morikawa amazed by Rory McIlroy
It is Rory McIlroy who sits third. It has perhaps been slightly overlooked that the Northern Irishman has won three times worldwide this year, while he also came agonisingly close to winning the Dubai Invitational, US Open, Irish Open and BMW PGA Championship. So on paper, it has been a successful year for the 35-year-old.
And it seems that many of his peers remain in awe of McIlroy. Speaking on Grant Horvat’s YouTube channel, Morikawa was discussing his preferred shot shape off the tee and went on to mention how he is almost baffled by what McIlroy can do with his swing.
“It’s just tough when I hit a spinny fade that goes nowhere and I’m playing with Rory, all these guys hit it crazy far now, and they just hit this tight draw that bounces and covers my ball and it’s 60 past,” he said.
“It’s incredible, he’s my height, so we’re both 5″9. It’s crazy, when I first came out on tour, I didn’t feel that short, now I feel like the shortest guy. It’s like me, Rickie and Rory are all 5″9.
“Rory has this crazy ability to just separate every part of his body and create speed. You can see it and that’s what’s so cool. If I tried to do that, I do think my body could handle it.”
Why McIlroy remains in good shape to win a fifth major
Of course, despite the three wins, McIlroy’s year is likely to mostly be remembered for what happened at Pinehurst back in June, when he lost the US Open title to Bryson DeChambeau. It is surely the closest he has come to winning a fifth major in the last decade.
On that occasion, there were no problems with his golf swing. He was absolutely exceptional from tee to green for most of that final round at Pinehurst. Many will remember the near-flawless iron shot he hit into five which rolled from the middle of the green to a bunker well short of the putting surface, resulting in a bogey.
And it was his club selection and putting down the stretch which really cost him. If he can put those moments behind him, he clearly has the game to win that fifth major.
Morikawa will probably argue that he is simply too good not to.
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