Collin Morikawa powered past a packed leaderboard at the ZOZO Championship in Japan to claim his sixth PGA TOUR victory by six strokes and end a winless run that stretched back almost two years.
Morikawa entered the final round at Narashino Country Club just two shots off the lead after a third round 66, but wasted no time igniting his charge. A birdie at the third hole was followed by three more in an impressive outward 30. That propelled him to a three-shot lead that he wouldn’t relinquish, with the 26-year-old American eventually signing for a bogey-free 63 that saw him finish well clear of compatriots Eric Cole and Beau Hossler, who tied for second.
“This means the world,” said Morikawa, who was 14-under-par for his final 32 holes. “It feels so good. I can’t even explain it. I knew I was going to get here at some point. It’s like getting your first win, your first major, people start asking questions, they start asking the ‘why.’ I really had to look back and ask myself what’s wrong. What is the ‘why’? What’s the reason behind finishing second or fifth versus a win.”
Morikawa’s used a full bag of TaylorMade equipment in Japan, including two changes to the equipment line up he had at the end of the PGA Tour’s 2023 season, adding the brand’s Milled Grind 4 wedges and TP5x golf ball to his bag.
COLLIN MORIKAWA WITB
Driver: TaylorMade SIM (9°)
Fairway Woods: TaylorMade SIM (3, 14°), TaylorMade Stealth 2 5, 18°)
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-6), Custom P7MB (7-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50°, 56°, 60°)
Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto
Ball: TaylorMade TP5