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Collin Morikawa would like to forget about his trip overseas.
The two-time major champion, who won the 2021 Open Championship at Royal St. Georges in England, missed the cut at both the Scottish Open and this year’s final major at Royal Portrush.
In a normal golf season, players can fine-tune their game for the end of the regular season to gear up for the FexEx Cup Playoffs – but this year, there’s arguably an even bigger opportunity at hand.
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Team USA player Collin Morikawa reacts to his putt on the 17th green during day two four-ball rounds of the 43rd Ryder Cup golf competition at Whistling Straits. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
The Ryder Cup returns to the United States this year, with the 2025 edition heading to Bethpage Black in Farmingale, New York. Morikawa has played for Team USA on four occasions – two Ryder Cups and two Presidents Cups. He also participated in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.
Morikawa, 28, believes it is the “biggest honor.”
“Any time you have the red, white, and blue on, it’s like nothing else,” Morikawa told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
“We play such an individual sport – even though we have a team behind us, we’re the ones that get all the credit when we play. But when you play for the red, white and blue, when you represent your country, whether it’s the Presidents Cup, Olympics, Ryder Cup, it’s the big one. It’s not just playing for your team, it’s not just playing for the stakes, you’re playing for the entire country. And when you have people in all walks of life come together at this one tournament rooting for your team, it’s truly the biggest honor.
“That’s all you can ask for, and when you have that weight you’re holding for that week, and you’re representing that, you’ll never lose that. It’s something you’ll carry for the rest of your life, but in that moment, you want to do everything you can to bring the best golf and human you are.”
Collin Morikawa of Team United States celebrates on the 17th green after winning the hole to go 1up and guarantee the half point needed for the United States to win during the Sunday Singles Matches of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on Sept. 26, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
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Morikawa has only three finishes in the top-20 or better since the RBC Heritage three months ago. However, he’s been at the pinnacle of the sport before, and knows what it takes for a quick turnaround.
“It’s so interesting. Sometimes, you feel like you’re so far away from great golf, but you’re actually a lot closer than you are. It’s a degree here and there, a bounce here and there, a break in the first or second round that just kind of changes the entire week,” Morikawa said. “We play four days, it’s a lot of golf, it’s a lot of time overspent that you have to just dwell on, but it’s just one little thing, and you never know what that’s going to be.
“That’s why we wake up every day, keep working to try to get better. You have to accept it, and it’s just part of what we do. Yes, the past month hasn’t been what I wanted, but doesn’t mean that tomorrow can’t be great, doesn’t mean the playoffs won’t be amazing, you just have to keep working and essentially not give up.”
Morikawa currently ranks eighth among American-born golfers in FedEx Cup points following his trip to the United Kingdom – the top-six automatically qualify for the 12-man team. His recent struggles, especially overseas, have none him no favors, and he knows it.
Collin Morikawa of the U.S. Team celebrates with champagne following the team’s 19-9 victory in the Sunday Singles Matches of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on Sept. 26, 2021 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. (Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
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However, with the never-give-up mentality he expressed, he feels he may be just fine (surely, his veteran presence gives him some bonus points).
“It’s a little bit of work to get to that automatic six,” Morikawa said, “but I’m very hopeful about it.”
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