CARLSBAD, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2023) - Collin Morikawa powered past a packed leaderboard at the ZOZO Championship to claim his sixth PGA TOUR victory by 6-strokes. Morikawa fired a bogey-free Sunday 63 hitting all but three greens in regulation with his TP5x golf ball to seal the win.
Against the backdrop of Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, just northeast of Tokyo, Morikawa entered the final round two shots off the lead but wasted no time igniting his charge. His birdie at the third was followed by three more on the front nine shooting an impressive outward score of 30. That propelled him to a three-shot lead that he wouldn’t relinquish.
Morikawa’s victory was powered by a full bag of TaylorMade equipment, including two changes coming toward the end of the FedEx Cup regular season in adding Milled Grind 4 wedges and TP5x golf ball to the bag.
TaylorMade Senior Tour Manager Adrian Rietveld on Morikawa's switch to TP5x: “Collin tested the TP5x vs his gamer TP5 at the BMW Championship in August and found that he was hitting his desired numbers with his long irons more consistently with the TP5x. That was something he felt like he was lacking in his game and the lower spin and flight characteristics of TP5x produced the numbers he was looking for. We then added a little loft to his mid and short irons to give him 500 RPM more spin with those clubs after the switch to TP5x and that created the perfect blend of spin and flight characteristics throughout the bag. The switch allowed him to see the flight he was looking for in his long irons but also maintain the low cut he hits with driver and 3-wood.”
Morikawa on his Milled Grind 4 Wedges: "I like the control of the MG4 and being able to see that through the turf is great. I used to have a lot heavier of a wedge and then learned having a little lighter headweight wedge I can get the club back to neutral where I want it when chipping. I always have issues with leading edge forward, leading edge digging in. Having the MG4 TW wedge I can get it back a little lighter and let the club get back before my hands and go from there. I feel like I have more control of the club. I can stay aggressive with my body keeping in front of me rather than having it behind me and going around."
COLLIN MORIKAWA WITB
SIM 8.0° Driver
SIM 14.0° 3-wood
Stealth 2 18.0° 5-wood
P·770 4-iron, P·7MC 5-6, P·730 7-PW
Milled Grind 4 Wedge 50.09° SB, 56.08° LB, 60.11° TW
TP Soto Putter
TP5x Golf Ball
COLLIN MORIKAWA NEED TO KNOW
- Win marks his sixth career PGA TOUR title in his 99th start and first TOUR victory since the 2021 Open Championship
- Of his five TOUR titles in standard stroke-play events, Morikawa has won four when trailing through 54 holes
- Morikawa's bogey-free 63 is the lowest final round score in tournament history by a winner at the ZOZO Championship and the six-stroke win is the largest margin of victory in tournament history
- He played his final 24 holes of the tournament in 12-under par and led the field in total birdies with 24
