The pace of play on the PGA Tour continues to be a contentious issue. As the unofficial “fifth Major” kicks off today, we can expect further instances of poor time management, a recurrent issue on the greens. Last season, the PGA Tour Board attempted to clamp down on the snail-paced game with a fine system to penalize the slow-goers. However, one major player sees these sanctions as ineffective.
Collin Morikawa, a highly favored contender for The Players Championship, voiced his thoughts on the issue during a recent interview. Morikawa, who recently finished second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, provides an insider perspective on the subject.
“I’m not sure why anyone would be against implementing this, but having spoken to a few of the guys, it seems we need to start handing out real penalties. Perhaps penalty strokes during play or deductions from FedEx Cup points,” Morikawa said. He further emphasized, “From what I gather, fines are futile.”
As a professional golfer, Morikawa’s comments underscore the wealth in the sport, suggesting that some players might not care about the fines due to their significant earnings. He shared, “Given that I’m not even sure how much the fines are, some guys might not be bothered by the amount they have to pay, whatever it may be.”
He believes that players are more focused on their game, their satisfaction with it, and their progression towards the playoffs. Morikawa, however, cautioned fans, “I think they need to understand that the slow play issue won’t be resolved overnight…”
Morikawa’s journey in golf started when he was just five years old in Los Angeles, born to parents of Chinese and Japanese descent, Debbie and Blaine Morikawa. He honed his skills at the University of California – Berkeley, playing golf from 2015 to 2019 while earning a degree in business administration. In December 2021, Morikawa proposed to his long-term girlfriend, Katherine Zhu, and they tied the knot on November 26, 2022.
In 2019, Morikawa turned professional, making his debut at the Canadian Open, where he finished 14th. He bagged his first PGA Championship in August 2020 on his maiden attempt, then replicated the feat in July 2021 by winning the British Open in his debut. This achievement made him the first golfer ever to win two majors on his first go. Notably, Morikawa also became the seventh golfer since 1900 to clinch the Open on his debut, setting a new record at the Royal St. George’s course with 265 strokes. He represented at the XXXII Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, finishing third after the planned four rounds, tied with nine other players. However, he fell to fourth place in the playoffs, overtaken by Pan Cheng-tsung.