Collin Morikawa: “Majors define a player’s résumé”

Collin Morikawa has said that he already has one eye trained on the defence of his PGA Championship title as he aims to add another major trophy to his repertoire.

The 24-year-old, who already has four PGA Tour titles to his name, including the PGA Championship and the WGC-Workday Championship, in just 44 PGA Tour starts has made an explosive start to his pro career and shows no signs of slowing down.

Previewing the 2021 PGA Championship, which will be played across Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course, Morikawa was quick to highlight how he is relishing being in the mix for another major. 

“Now that I’ve had one, you realise why guys want to win majors and why major championships define what a player’s résumé is going to look like at the end of their career,” explained Morikawa. 

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“I just want that energy again, to have that feeling of being in contention with nine holes to go, with five holes to go and hitting a great shot. That’s what we live for. That’s what we love to do.  

“I’m trying to win every week. I’m trying to win this week, I’m trying to win next week. But in about five weeks, I think that’s roughly when it [the PGA Championship] is, it’s a big star on my calendar.” 

Morikawa is teeing it up in South Carolina at the RBC Heritage this week, coming off the back of a T13 finish at the Masters, a vast improvement upon his debut T44 finish in 2020. 

Before heading for Hilton Head, the Californian made a detour to Kiawah Island to squeeze in 18 holes and get a feel for the course ahead of the defence of his title at the end of May. 

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“Nothing surprised me because I didn’t really have any thoughts about what I was going to expect out here,” Morikawa said of the Ocean Course. 

“It’s good to see it for the first time because if I showed up on a Monday like I normally would before this event, it would take me actually a little longer on this course because it’s so unique on the second shots.” 

Morikawa, who has already racked up over $9.5m in career earnings, has rocketed to a career-best fourth in the world and is still finding his feet when it comes to his new-found fame. 

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