Collin Morikawa Impresses at Tour Championship, Makes Strong Case for Ryder Cup Captain’s Pick
ATLANTA — Collin Morikawa put on an impressive display during the opening round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, making a strong case for a captain’s pick on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Morikawa carded a remarkable 9-under 61 with seven birdies and an eagle, putting him in a share of the 18-hole lead at 10 under in the staggered-scoring format.
As U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson considers his selections for the six captain’s picks, Morikawa’s stellar performance certainly caught his attention. The two-time major champion is among a handful of players vying for those spots, with the picks set to be announced on Tuesday.
Morikawa wasn’t the only Ryder Cup hopeful to shine in the opening round. Keegan Bradley also had an impressive outing, posting a 7-under 63 to move to 10 under. Norway’s Viktor Hovland, fresh off his victory at last week’s BMW Championship, shared the first-round lead with a 2-under 68 over 18 holes.
The World No. 1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler, finished the day just a stroke behind the leaders at 9 under. Adam Schenk and Russell Henley were also in contention at 8 under. In fact, there were nine players within 3 shots of the leaders, marking the most competitive opening round at the Tour Championship since the starting-strokes format began in 2019.
Scheffler started the day with a 2-stroke lead over the rest of the field, thanks to his strong performance in accumulating the most FedEx Cup points this season. However, his round took a turn for the worse as he carded bogeys and a triple-bogey, resulting in a disappointing 1-under 69.
“I’m obviously pretty frustrated with how I played today,” Scheffler admitted. “I had a few three-putts and that bad swing on the par-3 15th.”
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy battled through his opening round, shooting an even-par 70. McIlroy, who tweaked his back earlier in the week, finished tied for seventh at 7 under overall.
For Morikawa, his outstanding performance in the first round showcased his abilities and his desire to win. The 24-year-old golfer came within 1 stroke of tying Zach Johnson’s course record of 10-under 60. This impressive round was the lowest of Morikawa’s PGA Tour career to date.
“It feels great,” Morikawa expressed. “There’s no better time than now, in our Tour Championship, to show up and start playing some golf. I just want to have control of the golf ball and keep giving myself chances.”
Morikawa led the field in strokes gained: approach the green and strokes gained: total, proving that his game was firing on all cylinders. After 12 or 13 holes, Morikawa even joked with his caddie, Jonathan “JJ” Jakovac, about hitting shots pin high, a feat he hadn’t accomplished in four rounds of a tournament in quite some time.
Despite a challenging couple of seasons in which Morikawa hasn’t won since his second major victory in 2021, the golfer remains in contention for a Ryder Cup captain’s pick. Only the top six players automatically qualify for the team, leaving six additional spots to be filled by captain’s picks. Alongside Morikawa, other potential picks under consideration include Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, and Rickie Fowler, among others.
Morikawa’s previous Ryder Cup success as a rookie in 2021, where he went undefeated, certainly bolsters his case for a spot on the team. However, Morikawa recognizes that he had ample opportunity to secure an automatic qualification but fell short.
“It is what it is. I was still grinding out there,” Morikawa said. “Hopefully, my record speaks for itself. Hopefully, the golf speaks for itself today. I feel good, and at the end of the day, I want to win this tournament. Today definitely helped that.”
As the Tour Championship continues, all eyes will be on Morikawa and the other Ryder Cup hopefuls vying for their chance to represent the United States in the prestigious event.