Rich Beem says what Max Homa did at The Players Championship which Collin Morikawa could learn from with Paul McGinley ‘concerned’

Add as preferred source on Google

Collin Morikawa has caused quite the stir in recent weeks after avoiding some of his media duties after the Arnold Palmer and then subsequently going on to suggest he didn’t owe anyone anything.

Morikawa launched a bit of a rant at certain golf analysts as he defended his actions at Bay Hill and since then, it’s been a hot topic of conversation.

Morikawa eventually dropped away from contending at this week’s Players Championship and in the end, it probably avoided some awkward questioning had he won.

• READ MORE: Phil Mickelson gives his verdict on the drop J.J. Spaun took during the final round of The Players Championship

However, that doesn’t mean Morikawa’s latest comments haven’t gone unnoticed and speaking this weekend at TPC Sawgrass, both Rich Beem and Paul McGinley have once again questioned his attitude.

Collin Morikawa told he should have acted differently after criticising golf media

While everyone who watches golf loves personalities in the game and comments like Morikawa’s are good for headlines and conversation, it doesn’t mean he is right.

Indeed, according to both McGinley and Beem, the two-time major winner might well do better to reflect on his actions rather than double down.

“That was the point we were making in general too. The modern game has brought untold money into the game. With LIV coming on and the Saudis coming on, creating leverage for current players on the PGA Tour. They have used and exercised that leverage to get nine tournaments plus the majors are $20 million plus [purses]. It’s triple what it used to be,” McGinley explained.

“All of this coming their way, they have got to give more back. That is the concern that the modern player is being perceived by a lot of people out there, whether they like it or not, as they broke the game because some players went to LIV and some stayed.

“So it’s a diluted player now, people at home are not getting to see these players coming together at the moment and there is a lot of conjecture around professional golf at the moment and an air of entitlement which is being perceived by the public.

“My point was that the players have to be careful and understand the responsibility to the business of golf and not just their own self interest. But also to the business of tour golf and to leave the tour in a better place in 20 years’ time when they leave than when they entered it.”

• READ MORE: What Rory McIlroy was seen doing on the driving range just before winning his playoff with J.J. Spaun at TPC Sawgrass

Rich Beem makes Max Homa point when discussing Collin Morikawa

Backing up his good friend in the announcers both, former player Rich Beem also chipped in and suggested that Morikawa take a look at his comments and hopefully, learn from it.

Indeed, Beem believes that Morikawa would do well to look at another PGA Tour player, Max Homa.

“Reflecting on it, what you said about the poor choice of words, I think that is exactly right. I think if you’d have gone on Tuesday during the press conference and said boys you wouldn’t want to talk to me, I was worthless on Sunday, I was in no headspace, I’d have given you nothing and been very stern about it and it wouldn’t have been pretty. He said how come nobody followed me to go sign autographs. It is a bit easier signing autographs, because those people waiting for the autographs just want this, they just want your signature. They don’t want you to talk to you and are not going to bother you,” Beem commented.

“I think looking back on it he is probably going to realise that it is not just me I am representing when I am sitting up there in front of the media. It is also my sponsors, my family, it’s everybody they care about because you now represent a lot of people.

“I just think the choice of words and the way it came out, I think he might have felt attacked by the question, and I think going forward – even when he called you and Brandel and Rocky Mediate out, I thought the choice of words was interesting because you thought somebody might have stepped in and say let’s take a bit of TV time out here and think about how we might want to approach this going forward because there is a lot of folks in the game of golf and our arena, we have been there, we have done that and lost, and the last thing we want to do is take five minutes out of our day and speak to the media.

“I look at the perfect example of a guy like Max Homa this week, he missed the cut and he has not been playing this well. In fact he is playing atrocious. It’s sad to see as he is one of the good guys of the game and he has been struggling but he took time out for 10 minutes and answered a couple fo questions for the media. I think the players have to take a step back and take their emotions out of the game a little bit and if they want to be stern and say I played badly, this is not sitting very well, I will answer your questions but you may not like what I have to say because I am ready to eat nails!”

Morikawa has been playing well since the back end of 2024 and into 2025 but right now, he seems to have distracted people from his actual golf.

With The Masters coming up soon, Morikawa will need to ensure he’s in the right frame of mind to try and secure a first green jacket.