Collin Morikawa got off to another strong start at Kapalua, a course he has historically dominated.
Collin Morikawa has never finished worse than seventh in his five appearances at Kapalua. But he has not yet won The Sentry either.
His most notable result came in 2023, when he finished solo second to Jon Rahm. He held a six-shot lead after 54 holes, but three straight bogies on the back nine — and Rahm’s 63 — prevented him from entering the winner’s circle. However, that misstep should not detract from the fact that Morikawa continues to dominate this course.
He fired a bogey-free, 7-under 66 on Thursday and trails Tom Hoge by two strokes after the first round. Morikawa made three birdies on the front nine and then rattled off four consecutive on the back while not making any mistakes.
“I got on a nice roll on the back nine and made some putts, hit some really good shots, and you have to do that here,” Morikawa explained.
“If you’re hitting it well, you can make a lot of birdies.”
Since his debut at Kapalua in 2020, Morikawa’s scoring average has been 67.8, more than five strokes under par on this par-73 layout. Nobody has an average that low of any players with at least 20 rounds at Kapalua. This course has hosted a PGA Tour event every year since 1999.
Morikawa has shot even par or worse only once, doing so during the final round of the 2021 edition. Even then, he posted an even-par 73 and still tied for seventh.
Nevertheless, his history at Kapalua compares to his 2024 season overall: a ton of solid play and plenty of top finishes, but no victories to show for it.
“There are many ways to judge yourself,” Morikawa explained.
“You look back, and I grade myself on a good season when you win, but this year, I’m going to take it one round at a time, one tournament at a time, and really try and do my best.”
And yet, the two-time major winner knows it’s all about the hardware.
“[2024] was a solid year, but it comes down to the wins, and that’s what we’re focused on,” Morikawa added.
Indeed, Morikawa looks as sharp as ever. He hit 17-of-18 greens in regulation on Thursday and rolled in plenty of putts. But as he noted, the former California Golden Bear cannot get too far ahead of himself and take things one shot at a time. Maybe that’s what plagued him here two years ago. Maybe not.
Whatever the case, after eight weeks of not playing golf, Morikawa’s game and his mentality appear to be in the right state — a state that often leads to plenty of success and plenty of trophies. Maybe this is the week he finally wins in Maui, a place so near and dear to his heart.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
