Collin Morikawa has been playing some great golf on the PGA Tour so far this season and he’ll be hopeful of continuing that at The Players Championship this week.
Morikawa endured an incredibly difficult two-year period on the PGA Tour during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
However, Morikawa worked incredibly hard on his game and his fitness during the off-season and after missing the cut in his first event of the season in Hawaii and then finishing in a tie for 54th in Phoenix, he has been just like his old self.
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The 29-year-old won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am before securing top-seven finishes at The Genesis Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
It’s fair to say that Morikawa’s game was in fine fettle at Bay Hill last week.
Morikawa has returned to his imperious best with his iron play and his driving has been incredibly solid as well.
The two-time major champion has actually added around three mph of ball speed during the off-season and that could make a huge difference for him in the big events.
In spite of his sensational recent form, though, Morikawa has been ignored by the PGA Tour for the marquee groupings at The Players Championship this week.
Collin Morikawa not being selected for Players marquee group is good news for him
The marquee groups for The Players Championship were announced on Sunday night.
Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas make up one of the groups, while Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama form the other.
Thomas being named as part of one of the marquee groups is bizarre, given his general form over the past few years.
Behind the scenes, Morikawa will be angry that he wasn’t chosen as one of the six so-called ‘marquee’ names for the PGA Tour’s flagship event.
He will never admit that, but trust me, he will have taken his omission from the two marquee groups as an affront.
It’s fair to say that Morikawa has been the most in-form golfer on the PGA Tour over the past month. Also, it’s not like he’s lacking in star quality, is it?
The man from Los Angeles, California, is one of the biggest names in the professional game.
The fact that he hasn’t been deemed worthy of a place in one of the marquee groups and Justin Thomas has will hurt him. However, he can use that as motivation at TPC Sawgrass this week.
With the bit between his teeth, the seven-time PGA Tour winner will have a real point to prove in Jacksonville.
Collin Morikawa could fly under the radar at The Players
Another positive for Morikawa is that, due to the fact he isn’t in one of the marquee groups, he may well be able to fly under the radar somewhat.
Playing on one of the leading two groups at the biggest events can sometimes lead to added pressure.
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Every single shot the players hit is shown live and they are under constant scrutiny.
Perhaps Morikawa not being involved in one of the marquee groups at The Players Championship will help take some of the pressure off.
He can just go about his business in a quiet manner during the first two days. There will obviously still be plenty of attention on him at Sawgrass, but nowhere near as much as there would have been if he was in one of the two marquee groups.
Many are tipping Morikawa to win The Players this week and it certainly shouldn’t surprise anybody if he does.
He may be angry by the fact he isn’t playing in one of the marquee groups this week. However, I firmly believe that will work out in his favor.
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