Morikawa Magic & 5 Other PGA Championship Takeaways
After enduring a prolonged period of 13 months waiting for another slice of major championship golf action, in a comparative blink of an eye, we have ourselves a new PGA champion. Step forward, Collin Morikawa.
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If you knew very little about the 23-year-old before last week's events at TPC Harding Park, we're expecting you'll hear plenty more in the years to come such was his level of play and coolness under pressure.
Here's what we learned during the highly competitive four days of golf in San Francisco.
Morikawa Magic Lights Up Harding Park
Heading into Sunday's final round, many commentators were expecting an established major champion in either Dustin Johnson or Brooks Koepka to secure 2020's first major. Those same experts weren't banking on Collin Morikawa posting a flawless 64 to etch his name into PGA Championship folklore.
Those who managed to stay up to watch the crowning of the sixth youngest major champion in history, also witnessed him post the lowest weekend score in a major championship history in men's golf... EVER!
Just let that sink in a little!
...EVER!
As happens with each crowning of a youthful major champion, comparisons have already been made to the great man, Tiger Woods. While it's far too early to be heaping that pressure onto his young shoulders, we expect Morikawa will be no one-major wonder.
'That' Drive on the 16th...Wow!!
The tee shot on the 16th hole of Morikawa's final round will live long in the memory as 'the' shot that turned him into a major champion.
Of course, he still had to make the putt for eagle and remain sharp over the final two holes to close it out. The new world-number-five proved himself to be more than up to the task, finishing two shots clear of both Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey.
Check out that laser-like drive, an expert chip-in from just off the 14th green, and a collection of clutch putts from Sunday's round below.
Brooks' Humbling Collapse
After some bullish post third round comments comparing his chances to those of compatriot Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka suffered an uncharacteristic collapse during Sunday's final round.
Many felt the former world-number-one was perfectly poised to capture a historic three-peat after wins in both 2018 and 2019, but a disastrous front nine 39 saw his name go into freefall on the leaderboard and quickly out of contention.
The boys from the Golf Channel discuss Brooks' interview below.
McIlroy's Game Stuck in Neutral
It's been over six years since Rory McIlroy last tasted major success and his performance at Harding Park last week did little to suggest that we should expect a fifth major title any time soon.
Speaking during a post-round interview, the Northern Irishman said he felt as if his game was 'in neutral' and bemoaned his inability to keep bogeys off the scorecard.
With the Green Jacket the missing piece of his career grand slam puzzle, let's hope he's keeping his best form for The Masters at Augusta National in November.
Young Guns are Firing
Morikawa wasn't the only young golfer to post four impressive rounds at TPC Harding Park. The likes of Matthew Wolff, Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Champ all performed to a high level and pointed towards possible future major successes.
Wolff closed his week out with a 65 including a span of four holes that yielded three birdies and an eagle (-5). As you'll likely know, he has quite a distinctive golf swing and below he talks about it in more detail with the guys from MeAndMyGolf.
Tiger Fails to Roar
After a lacklustre four rounds at 2020's first major, Tiger Woods looked in need of a few more rounds of competitive golf before he tees it up at Winged Foot G.C. as he attempts to make it a quartet of U.S. Open titles.
Poor rounds on both Friday and Saturday put paid to any hopes the 15-time major winner had of closing to within two of the great Jack Nicklaus' 18-major haul. With that said, a final round 67 was a nice way to finish.
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