If you’re a golfer trying to improve by emulating the best players in the world, look no further than Collin Morikawa. The 29-year-old simplified the game of golf at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to score his first win in 847 days, creating a blueprint for golfers who take the sport too seriously.
After wrapping up his one-shot victory at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Morikawa shared some wisdom on how he drowned out the noise and returned to the winner’s circle. Golfers who struggle with the mental side of the game: get your pens and papers out.
Collin Morikawa’s Simple Strategy at Pebble Beach Leads to Victory
Leading up to the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Morikawa looked lost on the golf course. He missed the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii and finished T54 at the WM Phoenix Open in his first two starts of the season. Riding a streak of 18 straight starts without a top-seven finish, Morikawa knew he had to rework his mindset if he wanted to get back to contending for wins on the PGA Tour.
So, that’s exactly what he did at Pebble Beach.
After vaulting himself to the first page of the leaderboard midway through the third round, Morikawa simplified his approach and reminisced about what caused him to fall in love with golf in the first place.
“I think it was more just believing and knowing why I’m here,” Morikawa told reporters after the final round, per PGA Tour. “I think I’ve been trying to make golf so perfect—trying to hit these shots and trying to make these putts in a certain way that maybe others are doing it—that you forget how to play the game of golf. I think, looking back to when I was 10, 12, 15, growing up on Chevy Chase, playing 10 holes, dropping three balls—I played golf. I’ve gone so far away from that—that creativity of that side. The last two days, I went to go play golf.”
By simplifying his approach, Morikawa shot 62-67 on the weekend to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am—his first victory since the 2023 Zozo Championship.
What Golfers Can Learn From Morikawa’s Mindset
GettyCollin Morikawa proved that simplifying the game of golf can bring out the best in your game.
Many amateur golfers struggle to improve because they overanalyze every mistake and carry them over to the next shot. Golf is just as much mental as it is physical, so beating yourself up over poor shots will only compound those mistakes.
Morikawa was able to conquer those mental demons by focusing on one thing: playing the game he loves.
“I caught myself today, even after the bogey on five, I was like, ‘Man, I love being in this position.’ I hadn’t felt that in such a long time,” Morikawa said. “I knew when I was able to talk to myself in my head that way that I was ready. Whether it went great or whether it didn’t go great, I was ready to go execute the shots, play golf and not worry about the wind, not worry about the rain, not worry about, ‘Man, if I make bogey on eight, and then I go try and make pars on nine and 10.’ It was very in-the-moment stuff.”
In its simplest form, golf is a game about getting the ball in the hole. When you focus on just having fun on the course and blocking out your mistakes before hitting your next shot, you’ll be surprised by how quickly your scores will improve.
Collin Morikawa’s Pebble Beach Strategy Can Help Golfers Improve Their Own Game