PGA Tour Inc.

10/19/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/19/2021 12:10

Collin Morikawa approach game peerless, pinpoint

Unmatched Precision

Last season, Morikawa pulled off a proximity-to-the-hole triple crown never previously seen on TOUR. Morikawa led the TOUR in average proximity to the hole from not just 125-150 yards away, but from 150-175 and 175-200, as well. This marked the first time in the nearly 20-year history of ShotLink-measured rounds that a player won the season-long statistical title in all three of those categories.

Morikawa's biggest advantage over his peers comes from the 125-150 yard range. In 2020-21, he averaged 16 feet, 6 inches away on approach shots from that distance, a full foot-and-a-half better than anyone else (Matsuyama). The TOUR's average proximity to the hole from that distance is 23 feet, 2 inches - meaning on average, Morikawa was putting from nearly 7 feet closer than the field in those situations.

Morikawa's advantage over the field is not quite as vast - but still significant - from the other two yardage ranges. From 150-175 yards, Morikawa's average proximity (23 feet, 10 inches) is nearly 4 feet closer than the PGA TOUR mean. From 175-200 away, the advantage is about 6 feet.

When The Putting Clicks

We know Morikawa's iron play is almost always on point - in his young PGA TOUR career, he's had positive Strokes Gained: Approach in more than 70% of his rounds - but what about when the putter cooperates? A season ago, Morikawa ranked 178th on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting, by far his least flattering statistic.

As you might expect, when his putter is even average, Morikawa is borderline unstoppable. He has had positive Strokes Gained: Putting in 46.9% of his career rounds on TOUR. In those rounds, his scoring average is an unreal 67.5. When he gains half-a-stroke or more on the greens (as he's done in 35.2% of his career rounds), his scoring average dips to a sparkling 67.1.

Morikawa has ranked 15th or better in Strokes Gained: Putting just six times in TOUR events where the stat was tracked in all four rounds. His finishes? Three wins, two runner-up finishes, and one 6th.

Already a transcendent talent from tee-to-green, a consistently above-average putting Morikawa would be a terrifying proposition to his fellow competitors.