Morikawa goes from college grad to Major champ

SAN FRANCISCO: Collin Morikawa couldn’t help but break into a smile, and not just because the shiny Wanamaker Trophy he won at Harding Park was positioned on a stand next to him. Just over 14 months ago, Morikawa went through commencement after his All-american career— on the golf course and in the classroom—across the Bay Bridge and up the road at Cal-berkeley. Since then, he has played 28 tournaments around the world and already has three victories on the PGA Tour, one of them a Major.

In the last 50 years, only four other players won their first Major before age 23 or younger— Jordan Spieth, Rory Mcilroy, Tiger Woods and Seve Ballesteros.

He already is No 5 in the world. That alone puts him among the elite, except that Morikawa didn’t need to win the PGA Championship to feel that way.

“When I woke up today, I was like, ‘This is meant to be.’ This is where I feel very comfortable,” Morikawa said. “This is where I want to be, and I’m not scared from it. I think if I was scared from it, the last few holes would have been a little different. But you want to be in this position.”

Harding Park was not a place for the meek. Rare is Sunday at a Major with so many possibilities at the beginning, at the turn and down the stretch. The drama was relentless. Nine players at one point could claim the lead.

There was Dustin Johnson, who started with a one-shot lead. The power of Tony Finau, Bryson Dechambeau and Cameron Champ was on full display. Jason Day brought the experience of winning Majors and being No 1 in the world. Morikawa embraced the moment and delivered the signature shot that allowed him to win a thriller. Actually, there were two moments.

After catching a good break— even the most tested Major champions need those—with a tee shot off a tree and into play on the 14th, he was short of the green and chipped in for birdie to take the lead. Two holes later, Paul Casey tied him with a nifty up-anddown for birdie on the 16th, where the tees were moved forward to 294 yards to entice players to go for the green. Morikawa thought back to the 14th hole at Muirfield Village during the Workday Charity Open, where he fearlessly hit driver in a similar situation—big trouble left, water right —and drilled it to 12 feet. His shot was the signature moment of this Major, a driver that bounced just right and onto the green and rolled up to 7 feet below the cup. He made the eagle putt and was on his way to a two-shot victory with a 6-under 64, matching the lowest final round by a PGA champion.

There were no spectators because of the pandemic. Casey must have felt like one. He was still on the 17th tee when he looked back and saw Morikawa’s shot. “Nothing you can do but tip your cap to that,” Casey said. “Collin has taken on that challenge and pulled it off. That’s what champions do.”