Collin Morikawa tasted success on the PGA Tour once again on Sunday after his thrilling win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Morikawa had not won on the PGA Tour since October 2023 heading into Sunday’s final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The 29-year-old would have been incredibly nervous coming down the stretch after he took the lead on the 15th hole by holing a monster 30-foot putt.
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He was back to his old self at Pebble Beach…
Morikawa went on to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in dramatic fashion.
He found the middle of the fairway with his tee-shot, but then had to wait 20 minutes before hitting his approach into the green due to Jacob Bridgeman’s struggles up in front.
However, Morikawa managed to pull off the incredibly difficult shot to help seal the title at Pebble Beach, despite being made to wait in the fairway for what felt like an eternity.
During his final two rounds at Pebble Beach, Morikawa’s iron play was so good it was scary.
The man from Los Angeles has always been an exceptional iron player. However, one very big change was noticed about Morikawa just after he won for the first time in over two years.
Collin Morikawa’s actions after winning at Pebble Beach prove he’s changed
Professional golfer turned Sky Sports commentator, Nick Dougherty, was a guest on the Sky Sports Podcast this week.
He was asked what impressed him most about the two-time major champion’s victory at Pebble Beach on Sunday.
“His stick had changed in the game from this superstar that everybody wanted to watch to, like, I’m not so sure.
“No headlines, either. McIlroy, Scheffler … no one’s talking about Morikawa, and then you have a return to glory at an iconic venue like Pebble Beach.
“So, for me, and you could tell this all day long, there were nerves there, it isn’t the same as a major, of course.
“It is a major championship venue, and it is a signature event on the PGA Tour, but more than that, it meant so much to Morikawa.
“When everyone’s telling how good you are, and your stock is like top, it’s quite easy to be good. Like, it’s self fulfilling.
“Adversity is where you find out what’s inside the soul of a golfer, and how well they deal with it. That’s tougher. Digging it out of the dirt, picking yourself up off a canvas when things aren’t quite going to plan and when you’re not everyone’s favourite golfer, that shows a little bit more of the character, and he showed that character yesterday in getting back there.
“He looked more humble. In victory, he looked grateful, and more than anything, he looked happy, you know. He has looked a bit glum.
“He beats himself up, self professed, gives himself a hard time, that’s who he is, very different to Scheffler, who says golf is what I do, not who I am.
“Morikawa said in his interview, you know, ‘golf is my life, and it is a huge part of who I am’.
“I thought it was a wonderful thing to watch, and he did himself proud because he had to earn it down the stretch there.“
Morikawa’s iron play was truly sensational during the week at Pebble Beach and it was a major factor behind his victory.
Next step for Collin Morikawa after Pebble Beach win
He was particularly sharp with his approach shots on day three, when he gained nearly SEVEN shots on the field!
However, approach play as good as that is simply not sustainable.
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Morikawa has to improve his putting and chipping if he is to become a regular winner on the PGA Tour again.
After all, he lost strokes on the field putting throughout the week, and he ranked around the middle of the pack in the strokes gained around the greens category.
His ball striking is good enough to allow him to contend every now and again even if he putts poorly.
That won’t happen all the time, though, and when he has an off day with his irons, he’ll miss the cut.
Collin Morikawa has to figure out a way to putt even to an average standard. If he can do that, he could well be Scottie Scheffler’s main challenger in 2026 and beyond.
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