The Sentry

Saturday, January 4, 2025

Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Plantation Course at Kapalua

Collin Morikawa

Quick Quotes


Q. You missed just two greens. I know they're big here, but still, has to be a sign that you're hitting it well and your approach shots are good.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, today was really, really good. Couple shots out there a little squirrely, but for the most part the irons were center face, knew where they were going. A little bit off on distance here and there, but felt really, really good, which was nice to have to put a round together like that from start to finish.

Q. I think I interpreted what you said correctly, you talked about this year from the beginning leaving it all out there kind of. Like, what does that look like?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I think when you come to these events, I mean, it's nice to settle in, right, but things go by way too fast and you can never have enough time to go back. Like I said yesterday, you look back at a lot of guys' seasons and you look at the last two events where they really need a crunch and they really need something, like there's guys that pull stuff out there have. I did that at the TOUR Championship, and you try and do that every year when you're there, but there's just a slight different mentality you take when you say, Okay, I got 18 holes and screw it, like, you just put it all out there. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, and I've learned that, but just having that little bit of a mental change could be the factor, and hopefully we leave it all out there tomorrow.

Q. So, on a Sunday when you're in contention does that mean slightly more aggressive?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: No, it doesn't mean more aggressive, it just means you're putting all your effort into that one shot. I think when you look at this, if I looked at it right now, it's, like, yeah, we got 20 more events for the rest of the season, you can be ho-hum about it and, yeah, I want to win, but that's not the mindset, right, it's, I'm going to focus on every shot and I'm going to put in as much as I can into every shot. And that's what, you look back at the greats, like, they did that. You look back at Tiger, like, he did that every single week. I think if I asked myself, did I do that the past six years, every time, probably not, you know. But it's hard, it's hard to do that, but that's what I'm going into this year is saying, you know, I've got four days, let's see what I can do.

Q. Have you ever been in a situation like today where you're trading birdies like that?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, I mean, I feel like it's been like that. I can't think of an exact instance. There's been rounds where guys are feeding off each other, group's playing well you're kind of going back and forth, it's happened, for sure.

Q. Sunday was not your day last year, is this what you just talked about, is that change in philosophy?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I think I shot 8-under last year. I think you are thinking two years ago.

Q. No, I'm thinking more of --

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Oh, like in general, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's exactly back to the point he brought up, right, is not that I wasn't trying, and not that, you know, I didn't care, right, I just didn't have things go my way. Sometimes that happens, but not that I'm trying to tweak a lot, but you're just trying to have a different mentality out there. Sometimes that changes, we'll see what happens tomorrow, but I think that's a lot better mindset I can have is saying -- and that's what I had when I came out is I had seven opportunities for sponsor exemptions, didn't know if I was going to get my card or not, and you're going to put everything out there because you have that goal. Well, I'm going to put everything out there tomorrow because I have the goal to win.

Q. Were you looking for some validation this week in what you've been working on in the off-season?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, I mean, it's nice to have it click together. I told myself -- and I know I've had good results out here -- I told myself, the work I've put in in the off-season does not mean I'm going to come out here and play well. It doesn't mean you're immediately going to finish top 10, top 5, have a chance to win. But it's nice to see the things that I've been working on continue in and be able to put it all together and shoot some scores in a tournament setting.

Q. What was the birdie you were most proud of today?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Probably the one on 16. J.J. and I kind of had like different views on how to hit the shot in the first cut. I told him how I was going to hit it, exactly how I did, and it was nice to have a little tap in birdie.

Q. What was the club?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I had sand wedge, 56.

Q. You and J.J. have some of the more thorough conversations preshot. What goes into those conversations?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, it's tough. We've always had to balance it out because I'm a very feel player when it comes to like hitting iron shots and playing numbers, and he's like, he likes to think it through, which I think a majority of guys, 150 into the wind, 155. So it's just balancing that out. But when we're on track and you kind of are able to match 'em, it's easy to just pull a club, we're on same kind of line, and you go from there.

Q. Who was on what side on 16?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I was on my shot. Like, you know, sometimes it plays in my favor, sometimes I'm wrong.

Q. Looked like it was a lot of fun out there. Does your attention level get even higher when golf is at that high of a level with two guys like that?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, when you're playing that well you sometimes, you know, everyone talks about being in the zone, but you really are just focused on every shot. You're over it, that's what I'm trying to accomplish, and then you worry about what's next. It's hard to tap into that sometimes, but it's a mentality thing that you come out and you try and do. But it's a lot of fun. When guys are making birdie, you're able to kind of just -- when the group's making a lot of birdies, hitting it close, you're able to tap into than you just keep going with the flow. You make a par, oh well, you keep hammering at it.

Q. What was the first shot you hit today that you weren't satisfied with, and how long did it take?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: 6. I hit three really bad approach shots into 6.

Q. For the week.

COLLIN MORIKAWA: For the week, yeah. Hopefully hit a better one tomorrow.

Q. 15 feet?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: (Laughing). Yeah, 20 feet. I had a wedge in my hand, not a lot of wind, I've just hit some pretty poor shots there.

Q. Another calm day tomorrow, what's the mindset going into Sunday?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Leave it all out there. Just do what I can to just say, I've got 18 holes, not worried about the next tournament, not worried about the season, just worry about tomorrow, what's in front of me, one shot at a time, and see how it plays out. But definitely go out there and try and win this thing.

Q. Do you like stuff like this?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: I love it.

Q. 26-, 27-under?

COLLIN MORIKAWA: Oh, I thought you meant like being in contention and in Hawaii (laughing). Yeah, it's fine. Look, this golf course, par-5s are gettable, par-4s don't play that long when it's not windy. You can't do anything about it. It's not what you want every week, right, because it's a lot, it's draining just as much as it's draining shooting even par at a major championship. But, you know, I don't mind being in Hawaii first week of the year. We could be somewhere else and we're shooting these scores and I probably wouldn't want to be there either, so...

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
151766-1-1044 2025-01-05 01:20:00 GMT

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