HIO Fitting experts explain how the right wedge setup delivers more spin, control, and consistency in the short game.
Tag: Collin Morikawa
Several German-speaking pros compete in Florida for three coveted LIV Golf League 2026 spots.
At the turn of the year, the TGL reveals personal New Year’s resolutions of its star players before their match day.
Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa has ended his relationship with his caddie Joe Greiner ahead of the 2025 Rocket Classic. This marks the second caddie change this season for the 28-year-old American, who is still searching for the perfect partnership on the golf course. The separation came as a surprise, as Greiner had only been at Morikawa’s side since May 2025 and had accompanied him to the last five tournaments, in each of which Morikawa made the cut.
Collin Morikawa’s caddie break-up: What’s behind it?
Greiner, who previously worked for Max Homa and briefly for Justin Thomas, was Morikawa’s choice after parting ways with J.J. Jakovac in April 2025. With Jakovac, who had been with Morikawa since his professional debut, the Californian won six tournaments on the PGA Tour, including the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship. But Morikawa was looking for a fresh start when he parted ways with Jakovac in April. Greiner was supposed to fill that void, but after just five tournaments, including a shared 17th place at the Truist Championship and a 42nd place at the Travelers Championship, Morikawa decided to make another change.
A never-ending search process?
Daniel Rapaport from Sports Illustrated described Morikawa’s caddie search as “endless”, which underlines the challenges the player will have to overcome this season. Morikawa himself emphasized that the chemistry between player and caddie is crucial: “Just because two people are great at what they do doesn’t mean we’re going to be great together,” For the Rocket Classic, KK Limbhasut, a former college teammate of Morikawa, will serve as a substitute caddie. Limbhasut, who plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, is only a temporary solution, however, as Morikawa is still looking for a long-term partner. Morikawa himself remains optimistic: “It’s a process that I’m going through,” he said. “We’ll find out when the time comes and I will let everyone know.”
The role of the caddie is of central importance on the PGA Tour. He not only helps with strategy on the course, but is also a psychological anchor. Morikawa’s performances in recent months, including a shared 50th place at the PGA Championship and a 23rd place at the US Open, show that he remains competitive despite the changes, but lacks consistency. Parting ways with Greiner could be an attempt to restore that consistency.
Reactions and outlook
The caddie change caused a new dispute between Collin Morikawa and the media. In a press conference before the Rocket Classic, Morikawa expressed his frustration with the coverage of his caddie change. A reporter from Golfweek, Adam Schupak, had published an article that he said criticized Morikawa and “made him sound bad” for not responding to questions about the caddie change during a pro-am event. Morikawa defended himself: “Those guys [his pro-am partners] are paying a lot of money, they’re very important to the community, they’re very important to the Rocket Classic.”
Morikawa had recently clashed with the golf media when he denied interviews after rounds and insisted he doesn’t “owe anyone anything” to the media in response to subsequent criticism.
The TGL is in the starting blocks and the Los Angeles Golf Club is getting ready for its launch in January. Founded by Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, the team is aiming to establish the new league as a pioneering golf innovation in Los Angeles. “Los Angeles is the perfect home for our TGL team. This city embodies the intersection of sports, technology, and entertainment, making it an ideal backdrop for the innovation and excitement we aim to bring to the world of golf and its fans,” explains Ohanian. The aim is to make golf accessible to everyone.
TGL: The Players at Los Angeles Golf Club
The team is made up of Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood and combines experience, star power and numerous successes.
Collin Morikawa, a native of Los Angeles, is a two-time major winner. In addition to his major successes, he has won several tournaments on the PGA Tour and won the 2021 Race to Dubai.
Sahith Theegala, who also grew up in California, has been playing on the PGA Tour since 2022. He has already won a title there and achieved several top 5 finishes.
The LAGC also has a very experienced player in Justin Rose. The Englishman turned professional in 1998 and has enjoyed numerous successes since then. His outstanding achievements include five Ryder Cup appearances, winning the 2016 Olympic gold medal and eleven titles on the PGA Tour. As a former world number one, Rose is one of the most consistent players of his generation.
Like Rose, the fourth team player, Tommy Fleetwood, comes from England. Fleetwood has already proven his strength in team events on several occasions. His match at the 2023 Ryder Cup was the deciding point. While he has already celebrated several victories on the DP World Tour, he has so far been denied a title on the PGA Tour, although he has already finished second and third there several times.
Tommy Fleetwood guarantees at least half a point to win the Ryder Cup for Team Europe 🇪🇺 #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/unQ2VxNv9E
— Ryder Cup (@rydercup) October 1, 2023
TGL: The Most Important Information about the “Los Angeles Golf Club” at a Glance
| Team Name | Los Angeles Golf Club |
| The Four Players | Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala (both from the USA), Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood (both from England) |
| Investors | Alexis Ohanian, Seven Seven Six, Neal Hubman, Serena Williams, Venus Williams |
| Limited Partners | Antetokounmpo Brothers, Alex Morgan, Servando Carrasco, Michelle Wie West, Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Shonda Rhimes |
| Logo | The letters “LA” in the foreground, a driver in the background |
| Team Colors | Black, White |
Match dates
January 14, 2025: vs. Florida Jupiter Links GC
February 4, 2025: vs. Boston Common Golf
February 17, 2025: vs. Atlanta Drive GC
February 24, 2025: vs. New York Golf Club
March 3, 2025: vs. The Bay Golf Club
As the qualification period for the 2024 Olympics concludes, four US men’s golfers have secured their spots in Paris. Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, and Collin Morikawa will represent the United States at the Games.
Scheffler and Schauffele Lead the Team At The Olympics 2024
Scottie Scheffler, ranked first in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), has had a stellar season, including wins at The Players Championship, The Masters, and The Memorial Tournament. Despite a challenging performance at the US Open, Scheffler’s consistent excellence throughout the year ensured his top spot.
Xander Schauffele, currently third in the OWGR, has also had a strong season. He won his first major at the PGA Championship and has consistently finished in the top ten. Schauffele’s experience and previous gold medal win at the 2021 Olympics make him a formidable contender for Paris 2024.
Clark and Morikawa Secure Final Spots
Wyndham Clark, ranked fifth in the OWGR, clinched his spot with strong performances earlier in the season, including a win at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Despite recent inconsistencies, Clark’s high ranking secured his place on the team.
Collin Morikawa, ranked seventh, rounds out the US team. Morikawa’s accuracy and recent top finishes, including a third place at the Masters, have bolstered his ranking. His consistent play and strategic approach make him a valuable asset for the US team.
DeChambeau Misses Out Due to LIV Golf Participation
Bryson DeChambeau, despite a recent US Open 2024 win, did not qualify for the Olympics due to his participation in LIV Golf events, which do not contribute to OWGR points. This exclusion has left him frustrated, but the rules of Olympic qualification are clear, prioritizing OWGR standings.
Conclusion of the Qualification Process
The Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) determines qualification, aligning closely with the OWGR. The top 15 golfers in the OGR automatically qualify, with a maximum of four per country. The men’s qualification period ended on June 17, 2024, confirming the final roster.
The PGA Tour kicked off the 2024 calendar year with The Sentry. Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay maintain their first and fifth positions respectively in the World Golf Ranking. Holding firm at the top, Scheffler continues to exhibit consistency, while Cantlay remains a key figure among the elite. With no positional change this week, they represent stability for the American contingent atop the rankings.
Top Ten starts the year with no changes
Xander Schauffele (6), Max Homa (7), and Brian Harman (9) round out the top five American golfers in the World Golf Ranking. Each retaining their previous week’s standing, they contribute to the United States’ dominance within the top echelons. Furthermore, Wyndham Clark holds the tenth spot.
Rory McIlroy remains in second place, Jon Rahm in third. The stability at the top tier is apparent, with Viktor Hovland also keeping his fourth ranking. Matt Fitzpatrick (8), representing England, and other prominent golfers from varying nationalities, contribute to the rich diversity within these ranks.
Collin Morikawa, having risen from thirteenth to eleventh, displays a positive shift for American golf in the World Golf Ranking. The 26-year-old finished in a tie for fifth place at The Sentry on the PGA Tour and is knocking on the door of the Top Ten. Tournament winner Chris Kirk and runner-up Sahith Theegala also climb up the World Golf Ranking. While Kirk improves from 52nd to 25th place, Theegala jumps from 32nd to 20th.
This text was written with the help of AI
The current World Golf Ranking reveals USA’s Scottie Scheffler retaining the top spot, followed closely by Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy. This makes Scheffler the highest-ranking American player. Trailing him, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, and Max Homa respectively hold the 5th, 6th, and 7th positions in the global ranking.
Performances of other American Players in the World Golf Ranking
Further down the World Golf Ranking, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark secure the 9th and 10th spots, thus making up the six top-performing American players.
As Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth fall down one spot they lose touch to the Top 10.
European Players in the Top 3 of the World Golf Ranking
Meanwhile, Spain’s Jon Rahm stays strong at the third place, ensuring that Europe has a robust representation in the top three of the World Golf Ranking.
The World Golf Ranking of the remaining players in the coveted top 10 reveals no significant shifts. England’s Viktor Hovland continues to hold the fourth spot, and completing the top ten, we see an interesting mix of nationalities setting themselves apart on the international stage, showcasing exemplary skills and tenacity throughout the rankings.
Scandinavian tournament winners Ludvig Aberg and Nicolai Hojgaard climb the rankings
The Danish youngster Nicolai Hojgaard won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai and moves up 20 ranks from 70th to claim a spot in the Top 50.
The PGA Tour title went to Swedish Ryder-Cup-Star Ludvig Aberg, who climbs from 53rd to 32nd.
At the age of 26, Collin Morikawa will be competing for the American team in the Ryder Cup for the second time. He made his debut in 2021 and made the team again in 2023. His season performance was mixed, and Morikawa did not earn an automatic spot through the world rankings. Nevertheless, he has convinced captain Zach Johnson and takes a place of the six “Captain’s Picks”.
Collin Morikawa at the 2023 Ryder Cup
Collin Morikawa has had a mixed season. After the young golfer experienced a veritable whirlwind start in recent years, sprinting to third place in the world rankings within a very short time, things went up and down for him on the PGA Tour in the 2022/23 season. At the time of his nomination, he was ranked 19th in the world rankings. At the start of last season, around the turn of the year, Morikawa was still collecting some very good finishes and just missed out on victory at the Sentra Tournament of Champions. This was followed by an alternation of solid finishes and missed cuts. Most recently, he delivered very good performances in the playoff tournaments. While he missed the cut at the Open Championship, he placed T26 or better at the three remaining majors.
At the end of the season, his performance was enough to convince captain Zach Johnson of his merits. Collin Morikawa is still considered one of the best iron players on the tour and after this season is ranked second in the “Strokes gained” statistics. Not least his performance at the last Ryder Cup speaks for the young up-and-coming talent.
Can’t wait for the Rome remix on these swing sounds @collin_morikawa ? pic.twitter.com/21XTLQubFg
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 1, 2023
Collin Morikawa’s record at the Ryder Cup
Last year was Collin Morikawa’s first appearance in the continental competition between the USA and Europe. The then 24-year-old played four matches and posted a record of 3-0-1. Morikawa played his three team appearances together with Dustin Johnson. The duo remained invincible, earning three points for Team USA.
Collin Morikawa also put up a good fight in the singles match on Sunday. He did not manage a win against European Ryder Cup rookie Viktor Hovland, but the two shared the point. At the end of the day, the young Morikawa won the tournament together with the American team and will be part of the group again this year.
Collin Morikawa’s successes
In 1997 Collin Morikawa was born in Los Angeles. In his amateur days, Morikawa won numerous golf tournaments and led the world amateur rankings for three weeks in May 2018. His winning streak continued after turning professional in 2019. He survived the cut in 22 tournaments in a row. Only Tiger Woods managed more as a rookie, namely 25. This was followed by his first PGA Tour victory and, in only his second season as a professional, his first major win at the 2020 PGA Championship. In total, the 26-year-old now has two major victories, five PGA Tour wins and four DP World Tour victories.
WITB: Collin Morikawa’s equipment at the 2023 Ryder Cup
Collin Morikawa is all about TaylorMade. His equipment is made up of classics and current models from the brand. From the tee, he relies on the popular SIM driver, and he also uses the classic 3-wood. The 5-wood in the American’s bag is the brand’s latest Stealth 2 series. For the irons, Morikawa uses the range of high-performance Players irons. The 4-iron comes from the P770 series, irons 5 and 6 he gets from the new P7MC irons and from the 7-iron to the pitching wedge he relies on the P7CM model. In this way, Morikawa has put together an ideal combination of distance irons and spin enhancement in the short game. TaylorMade also provides the wedges for the top player. With the brand-new Milled Grind 4 models in various sole grinds, Morikawa can use versatile pitches and chips around the greens in Rome. He chooses the putter from the TP Collection in the “Soto” blade design and reduces the weights used from 10 grams each to 7.5 grams. As a playing ball, he chooses the TP5 5-piece ball from TaylorMade.
Champion Golfer of the Year Returns the Claret Jug
For its 150th Championship, The Open and Mercedes-Benz are returning to the Home of Golf at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland (UK). For a record 30th time, the Old Course, will host this year’s Championship and from July 10 to 17, nearly 300,000 spectators will experience the world’s best golfers at the tradition-steeped major golf Championship. And all this on what is the most historic golf course in the world.
The Championship week kicks off with its first highlight: the Return of the Claret Jug. At the ceremony, the reigning Champion Golfer of the Year, Collin Morikawa (USA), returned the iconic Claret Jug trophy to Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A. For the occasion, the 25-year-old Morikawa drove up in an all-electric EQS SUV. With the EQS SUV, Mercedes-Benz is taking a big step towards a zero-emission mobility. The model is produced in a completely carbon-neutral manner.
Text and video by Mercedes Benz