How Tiger Woods reacted with the media after a poor round disclosed after Collin Morikawa controversy

Add as preferred source on Google

Tiger Woods remains a beacon for many PGA Tour players, despite not yet making an appearance in the 2025 season.

The PGA Tour continues this week with the Valspar Championship, with Rory McIlroy having just won the Players Championship.

But Woods remains out of contention, having undergone surgery on a ruptured Achilles tendon after stepping up his training preparations at home.

He has missed out on several significant events thus far, including the likes of the Players Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

And despite Russell Henley triumphing at the latter, it was runner-up Collin Morikawa who dominated much of the post-tournament talk.

Tiger Woods praised for media duties after Collin Morikawa hits out

The American came under fire for not fulfilling his media duties after being edged out by Henley, with Morikawa saying he doesn’t ‘owe anyone’ in response to that criticism.

Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis has now added to the discussion, saying on the Golf Channel Podcast with Rex & Lav: “If I can pivot to this.

“This generation of tour player, and I think Collin fits into this category considering where he grew up not too far from where this guy grew up in South California.

READ MORE: Golf fans left divided over Collin Morikawa as critics slam ‘pampered’ PGA Tour star for his behaviour at The Players

“You and I have covered Tiger Woods from when he was at the peak of his powers to when he was shooting 80s on the PGA Tour.

“I have so much respect for Tiger as a player but also for his position with the media. If he showed up to the tournament he always had a pre-tournament press conference and 99.5% of the time whether he shot 65, 75 or on occasion when he was close to 85 he talked to the media.

“He did that because he understood his position in the game and I really do feel like he feels there is an obligation to reach out to the fans and the media. He talked when Y.E. Yang beat him at the PGA Championship, he didn’t storm off.

“I feel like this generation of player needs to look at Tiger Woods, and realise that we as the media are an extension of the fans and that you owe something to them.”

Collin Morikawa and current PGA Tour generation can learn from Tiger Woods

It is certainly an interesting scenario that has played out on the PGA Tour in recent times, with Morikawa definitely not the first to turn his back on the media.

Rory McIlroy perhaps most notably did the same at Pinehurst last year, storming off after narrowly losing the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau.

READ MORE: Paul McGinley claims what Collin Morikawa has said ‘does not sound good’ as he makes point about Rory McIlroy

While the stakes were not as high, Morikawa was in a similar position at Bay Hill earlier this month, blowing a three-shot lead to Henley.

One can only imagine how heartbreaking and frustrating such losses must feel, with speaking to the media undoubtedly the last thing these superstars want to be doing.

But that is part of the job, and they are ultimately supposed to be setting an example to future generations, much like Woods did.

Just as he deserves praise for his efforts on the course, the legendary figure has now rightfully been used as an example that the likes of Morikawa can learn from.