Collin Morikawa has told the story many times about the dinner he had with Justin Thomas in Canada last summer on the eve of his first professional start.
Two weeks earlier, Morikawa had gone through the graduation ceremony at the University of California then slipped off to Texas to receive the Ben Hogan Award as the nation’s top collegiate golfer. When Morikawa arrived at the RBC Canadian Open, playing for a living for the first time, he sought counsel from Thomas.
The message from Thomas was simple: If you’re good enough, you’ll find your way to the PGA Tour full time.
“I already felt good enough,” Morikawa said, retelling the story Sunday after his victory in the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park.
“When I woke up today, I was like, 'This is meant to be. This is where I feel very comfortable.' " – Collin Morikawa
Three victories in 29 PGA Tour starts later, Morikawa has rocketed not just to the front of a fresh class that includes Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland, but to fifth in the world rankings one year into his p...
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