American Collin Morikawa breaks through at Pebble Beach for first PGA Tour win since 2023

PEBBLE BEACH – After going nearly 2½ years without winning on the PGA Tour, Collin Morikawa just wanted to return to winning form.

No better place to do that than Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Morikawa tapped in a birdie putt on the final hole after a nifty shot from the fringe to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Feb 15 in California.

“Pebble Beach was always a course that you just wanted to come and play,” he said.

“You wanted to come and play against the pros and the best in the world... I’m going to enjoy this one for sure. We’re at Pebble Beach, so I’m going to enjoy this one.”

He completed a five-under 67 to finish the tournament at 22-under 266, winning by one stroke over Australia’s Min Woo Lee and Austria’s Sepp Straka to collect the US$3.6 million (S$4.5 million) championship cheque.

Morikawa’s seventh victory on the PGA Tour marked his first since the 2023 Zozo Championship in Japan.

“I’m hard on myself,” the 29-year-old American said.

“I’m just so thankful for the people around me. Believing in myself. I never let go of that.”

On another windy and chilly day during this tournament, it was an adventurous final stretch for Morikawa.

He took the lead with birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 before dropping back with a bogey on the par-three 17th. He had a long wait after his tee shot on the par-five 18th as the group in front of him finished on the green.

His second shot was alongside the green, but he rolled the ball to within 1½ feet and then finished the job.

“Just to be able to pull off those last two shots from the tee and into this green, it feels great,” Morikawa said.

Lee posted a 65, surging up the leaderboard by playing the last six holes in four under, while Straka shot a 68.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler fired the day’s best round with a 63 that featured three eagles – the par-five second, sixth and 18th holes – to finish tied for fourth at 20 under with England’s Tommy Fleetwood (66). He was in the clubhouse with a share of the lead before other golfers finished.

“These are the weeks when you look back, I’m very proud of sticking with it, not giving up even when I felt like things were going against me this week,” Scheffler said.

“Just kept fighting, kept trying to hit shots, kept trying to execute.”

With two eagles and three birdies on the first seven holes and two more birdies to start the back nine, Scheffler surged towards the top of the leaderboard and within a shot of the lead. His bid appeared derailed with a couple of bogeys, but he hit an approach shot within three feet to set up an eagle putt on No. 18 that claimed a share of the lead.

“I had to do something special today to give myself a chance,” he said. “I felt like I needed to get to 21 or 22 under, so I was playing really aggressive, a bit more aggressive than maybe I normally am.”

The American began the round eight strokes off the lead. He was aiming for his largest final-round comeback in a victory. He became the first golfer to record three eagles in the same round at the Pebble Beach Golf Links tournament since 1983.

Akshay Bhatia, who was the second- and third-round leader and opened his final round with a two-shot edge, settled for a 72 to share sixth place with Sam Burns (67) at 19 under.

Jacob Bridgeman (70) and Burns were at the top of the leaderboard earlier in the final round.

Bridgeman joined Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune (67), Colombia’s Nico Echavarria (67), Ireland’s Shane Lowry (67), Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (69) and Jake Knapp (71) at 18 under to share eighth place.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland had his best round of the tournament with a bogey-free 64, putting him at 17 under and tied for 14th place.

The start of the round was pushed up because of weather-related concerns later in the day.
REUTERS