The Arnold Palmer Invitational concluded in a heart-stopping manner on Sunday as Russell Henley stole the show, sinking an eagle on the par-5 16th hole. This turned his trailing position to a leading one within moments, leaving Collin Morikawa, the leader of the afternoon, in a state of disbelief, merely watching his teammate pull off the unexpected.
Morikawa, with two major championships under his belt, was unable to secure a birdie on the final two holes, resulting in a loss by the slimmest of margins – a single stroke to Henley. Despite appearing in command throughout the final round, with a consistent two-to-three-shot lead, Morikawa didn’t address the press following the tournament’s finale.
Nevertheless, Morikawa broke his silence on Monday, turning to social media to articulate his disappointment. His words, captured by NUCLR Golf, were succinct and poignant, “No excuses. Never had any, but always a nice reminder. Honestly though, this one stings.”
On Sunday, Morikawa demonstrated consistency, recording an even-par 72 on a day when Bay Hill was unforgiving. While the wind didn’t whip up as anticipated, the pin placements proved challenging. With only five holes left, Morikawa, the former Open champion, had a two-stroke lead over Henley. However, Henley, the ex-Georgia Bulldog, managed to close the gap by making a birdie on the par-3 14th.
The real drama unfolded on the 16th hole. Morikawa, in the heart of the green, was preparing for a lengthy birdie putt while Henley was chipping from the ruthless rough of Bay Hill. The NBC coverage didn’t do justice to the moment, catching the action just as Henley’s chip was rolling towards the hole. Henley’s shot narrowly avoided a skulling, and had it not been for the hole, his ball could have rolled a further 20 feet.
However, fate had other plans. The ball found the centre of the cup, turning the tables in Henley’s favour. Post his victory, Henley almost apologized to Morikawa for his stroke of luck, stating, “Sometimes golf is just mean like that. Hats off to Collin. He played great today, super steady.”
Morikawa, currently World No. 4, is now 17 months without a victory since his triumph at the ZOZO Championship. Despite this, his performance suggests he is in good form as the PGA Tour season heats up. Morikawa is set to take on TPC Sawgrass in the upcoming week for The Players Championship, the flagship event of the PGA Tour.
