It’s been half a year since Colin Morikawa won the British Open and he’s used to being billed as the “champion golfer of the year”.
This week marks the first time the Californians have been referred to as “the reigning race for Dubai champions” and they love that too.
“There’s a lot of weight on (my) shoulders right now,” Morikawa said on Tuesday. “It’s a good weight and I want to come back as strong as ever.”
1 on the European Tour, Morikawa is back in the Middle East to begin a year-long title defense that he so memorable claimed in November in Dubai.
He is this time down the shoreline of the United Arab Emirates, making his first appearance at the Abu Dhabi Championship – an event that for many marks the start of the European Tour.
And for Morikawa, it’s about maintaining the high standards he set in his first few years as a professional, even if it’s a big question for someone already having two Majors and a standout Ryder Cup debut. Is.
“This 2 1/2 years of turning professional is very unusual for me, obviously with COVID and a lot of other things in the world,” said Morikawa, who won the US PGA Championship in 2020. – I think the biggest thing is how I enjoy the time wherever I am in the world.
He’s also seen a lot of the world in recent months. take the place of their previous five events: the CJ Cup in South Korea; Zozo Championship in Japan; World Tour Championships in UAE; World Challenge in the Bahamas; And, most recently, the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Morikawa has been no less than seventh in that period, and is ranked No. 1 in the Bahamas after losing a five-shot lead in the final round and finishing fifth, an unlikely turn of events for a player who has proven so confident under pressure.
As someone who appears frequently and seems wise after his 24 years, it was no surprise to hear that he took that experience as a positive.
“I get over things very easily, and I think that’s the motivation for me, right?” Morikawa said. “How do I learn from these bad events and how do I, how do you know, if I miss a cut or whatever, how can I never do it again?
“I don’t see it as high and low. I think it’s the wrong way for me to think about how I put it in my head. To me, it’s just a good week for you, you’re having a bad week, Things happen and that’s what we do.”
Victor Hovland replaced Morikawa to win in the Bahamas and this week is also at Stacked Field at the Yas Links, taking over from Abu Dhabi Golf Club as host of the Abu Dhabi Championship with $8 million in prize money.
Also playing is Rory McIlroy, who was last seen on the European Tour, photographed in a torn T-shirt shortly after his final round slump that allowed Morikawa to win in Dubai.
Adam Scott and defending champion Tyrell Hatton are other big names set to start their 2022 season on Thursday.
The tour is resuming its 2022 season launch after one of three planned events in South Africa late last year was halted because of the outbreak of the Omicron version of the coronavirus.
Morikawa said conditions at Yes Links will be difficult due to the nature of the narrow fairway, strong weekend winds and wavy greens.
Especially in light of the recent heavily detailed green-reading-books ban that is now in place.
“When you have greens like these and you have a lot of new slopes and you have to learn the golf course, I have to do my homework,” Morikawa said. “I have to spend a little more time preparing and learning what to do because if I don’t know where the slope is and I somehow hit there and I’m a little surprised, it’s going to be a problem for the whole week.”
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