Collin Morikawa explains reasons behind shock split

Collin Morikawa did not delve into the specifics behind his surprise decision to split from his caddie JJ Jakovac – but claimed “sometimes things just aren’t feeling right.”

The two-time major champion was asked about switching loopers for the first time in his professional career in an appearance on Dan Rapaport’s ‘Dan on Golf’ show.

After ending his six-year stint with Javovic – which included major wins at the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 – Morikawa has now linked up with Max Homa’s former bagman Joe Greiner.

Greiner just recently stood in as temporary caddie for Justin Thomas as the fellow two-time major champion ended a three-year winless drought at the RBC Heritage.

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“Firstly, it doesn’t take anything away from what JJ and I have done over the last six years, but sometimes things just aren’t feeling right,” Morikawa explained.

“I think when people look at it in the macro perspective of ‘OK, Collin’s playing great, he’s contending, he’s trying to close out tournaments’.

“Even at the beginning of the year everything looked very, very good, but sometimes, on the golf course things just don’t feel right.”

Morikawa has not won since the Zozo Championship back in October 2023 but hopes a new man by his side could be re-energising ahead of his start in next week’s Truist Championship.

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“It wasn’t an easy talk and I hope all the best for him,” he said. “I hope guys are lining up for him because, look, if you look at his resume, if you look at what we’ve done just simply over the past six years it’s incredible.”

On appointing the experienced Greiner, the world No.4 added: “For me, what I’ve seen with Joe, he’s someone who wants to continue to learn and get better. We’ve already talked numerous times on how we’re going to get started.

“He’s a great caddie, he’s one of the best out there, obviously what he did with JT. Sometimes when you have a new caddie it frees people up and obviously it helped JT for those two events.”