Q. Shaping up the week what is going through your head right now?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: Just going through the shots I left out there. There was a good handful that I wish I could have back. When you don't get it done you kind of, that's where your mind goes to. I know there is a lot of positives, and it's going to take me a few hours or a day to get over it. It's just, how do you clean things up for four rounds. It's tough to win, and I've seen it over this kind of past year, and like I said, I love being in this position, this is a position you want to be in, I want to keep giving myself chances, I know they're going to come, just when Zozo happened you just know if you keep knocking at the door and, you know, we're going to go on a roll pretty soon, it's just hopefully sooner rather than later.
Q. 5 through 7, was there a common theme there on those first putts?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: No, 5 was just didn't really decide what speed I wanted to hit. It's just so shiny and not an easy putt in general, but that was just bad speed.
6, I thought I hit a good putt.
7, was just a bad first one. Kind of just trying to make it a little bit too much. So, bad stretch of holes, for sure.
Q. How would you describe what Hideki did these last two days?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, excuse my language, but 35-under par is, that's low. I mean, he was matching me yesterday shot for shot, and I felt like I was playing lights out, right? Like, yes, you could leave some shots out there, but you shoot 11-under on any golf course, you're going to be happy, right? Today he just never let up. Then you get to the third hole and the guy holes it. I just knew I had to be on top of everything, and just kind of let a few slip on that front nine. Played a good back nine, but to win on a course like this, conditions like this, you got to have it for 72, and I had it for 65.
Q. Did you do anything after the round? He went straight to the range like he was unhappy almost?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: No, you know, I've probably gone, I probably go practice the least out of anyone out on TOUR after rounds. Like, I kind of know what I do, I've never really been someone to just either repeat what felt good or try and search for something. I think I've got a good gauge on what I need to do, and what the game plan is out there. Like I said, first few holes were fine, 1 through 3, 1 through 4. Just a couple missed putts. Just got to figure out how to not do that.
Q. Does it change your assessment at all when you finish second to a performance like that?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: It's a little better than two years ago, right? I mean, I would have had to shoot -- he shot, what, 8-under today? I would have had to shoot 10 today. I don't know how many 10-unders were shot today.
Q. 21-under for the weekend.
COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, you know, a little bit better, right. Like I said, like I came into this off-season and came into this tournament ready to play golf. Not ready to play into all the way to Augusta and get ready for the Masters, like I'm prepared to play. So come two weeks from now I'm going to be prepared to play. It was nice to see the result, still would like to finish out on top.
Q. What is something you're optimistic about from this week?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: Just the way I played. I told you that mindset, right, of letting, leaving everything out there, and I feel like I did. Yes, you know, couple shots are not going to go your way and just that little stretch I wish I could just slow it down a half beat. Just walking and just thinking. But, you know, I felt like from a start, you know, Thursday first hole I was ready to play golf. It's hard to do that sometimes, especially it's hard to do it out here when you got wide fairways, you know you can kind of cruise into maybe a 5-, 6-under and get the year started. But I came out here trying to be ready for golf, and I'm going to try and do that for every event out there, I don't care if it's my third, fourth week in a row, first week after whatever, you know, that's going to be the mentality for the entire year.
Q. Is there a moment to where you felt like, Man, I'm just not going to be able to catch him today?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: After he hit the wedge shot on 16. I mean, I was two down with three to go. A little pull off 16 tee in the bunker. Still hit a decent shot. And then he nearly holes it. If he pars that, you know, two -down, two to go, it's very, very possible. Then it was three down and kind of hurt.
Q. I heard you talking about it, how much does this place kind of home, home away from home for you?
COLLIN MORIKAWA: Yeah, no, it's special. When you have that kind of support behind you it means a lot and it makes these weeks a little bit better. It makes you kind of push a little bit harder. You want to play the best you can, so hopefully we'll be back next year and just find a way to shoot 36-under. It might not even be enough. 40-under. 40-under is ridiculous.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports