Collin Morikawa says ‘winning is tough’ ahead of Japan title defence

INZAI, Japan – Two-time Major champion Collin Morikawa said on Oct 23 that “winning is tough” as he looks for his first victory of 2024 at the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship in Japan this week.

The American romped to the 2023 title at Narashino Country Club near Tokyo by six shots to end a two-year title drought. He has not lifted a trophy since and described his 2024 season, which has included two runner-up finishes, as “solid” rather than spectacular.

Morikawa was part of the United States team who beat the Internationals at the Presidents Cup in Montreal in September and is hoping to keep that form going this week in Japan.

“It’s a place I look forward to every year. Knowing that I won last year, lot of good memories. It was my first win in two years. Look, winning’s tough. No matter what it is, winning is tough. You have to learn how to win,” said the 27-year-old, who has Japanese heritage.

Morikawa will be up against fellow American Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship and British Open in a breakthrough 2024, and Japan’s Olympic bronze medallist Hideki Matsuyama.

Morikawa finished runner-up behind Scottie Scheffler at the season-ending Tour Championship in September, but said “you just never know what to expect” when play begins.

“Every tournament’s different, you never know how you’re going to play on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. You’ve got to treat each day and each shot and take everything that’s in front of you, and not take anything for granted,” he said.

Morikawa struggled to keep his emotions in check when he lifted the Zozo Championship trophy in 2023.

“Honestly, I’m not that emotional of a guy. Whenever something happens, you just never know what it’s going to be,” he said.

Also looking to overcome a drought is another two-time Major champion Justin Thomas, who is also attempting to shake off the rust, having last competed on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship on Sept 1.

The 31-year-old is seeking his 16th career win on the PGA Tour, and his first since he overcame a seven-shot deficit to capture his second PGA Championship in May 2022. He has fared well in Asia, with two CIMB Classic titles in Malaysia and two CJ Cup victories in South Korea.

“(I’ve had) quite a bit of time off. I was champing at the bit to get here,” said the American, whose wife Jillian is expected to give birth to the couple’s first child in November.

“The time off is nice but, if I don’t compete for a long time, I get... not bored, but I want to get back and play in tournaments again... This week, I’m focused on business and trying to win a golf tournament. Then it’s time to go home and get ready to be a dad.”

Meanwhile, tournament host Tiger Woods was not listed in the initial player field released on Oct 22 for the Dec 5-8 Hero World Challenge in Albany, Bahamas, but the 48-year-old could still be added as one of the three exemption spots.

The 15-time Major champion, who has not competed since he missed the British Open cut in July, had microdecompression surgery for nerve impingement in his lower back in September and has not offered an update on his recovery.

In five events in 2024, he dropped out of February’s Genesis Invitational, another event he hosts, due to illness, finished 60th at the US Masters and missed the cut at the next three Majors.

After missing the British Open cut, the 48-year-old Woods said he would take a break and did not plan to play an official tournament the rest of the year and would instead target the Hero World Challenge, which is a limited-field, unofficial event.

So far, world No. 1 Scheffler, 2016 champion Matsuyama and 2025 United States Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley are among the 17 players who have officially committed for the Hero World Challenge’s 20-man field. AFP, REUTERS