PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Collin Morikawa had gone 28 months since his final win, and he was reminded Sunday on the AT&T Pebble Seashore Professional-Am why it is by no means straightforward.
He was amongst six gamers who had a share of the lead at one level in a wild and windy remaining spherical. One title, Scottie Scheffler, was getting everybody’s consideration, as he almost pulled off the most important comeback within the match’s historical past.
More durable nonetheless was standing within the fairway on the par-5 18th, the chilly Pacific air ripping off the ocean to his left, and having to attend some 20 minutes as Jacob Bridgeman had to determine tips on how to play off the seaside just for his shot to enter the ocean.
Morikawa mentioned he walked right down to the ocean and again about 10 occasions.
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„I attempted to consider anything apart from golf,“ he mentioned. „Fortunately, you had the nicest backdrop you would ask for, in order that was very, very straightforward. For me, it was how do I keep free, how do I keep heat and never simply take into consideration the shot.“
Morikawa delivered the products once they mattered, back-to-back birdies to take the lead, and one final birdie with a 4-iron from 235 yards he needed to begin out over the ocean wall and let the wind convey it again to the inexperienced.
Two putts from the collar gave him a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory over Sepp Straka and Min Woo Lee.
„Nice area, nice leaderboard — it all the day,“ Morikawa mentioned. „And simply to have the ability to pull of these final two pictures, it feels nice.“
The 2-time main champion completed at 22-under 266, which tied the bottom profitable complete on 72 holes on the occasion (Brandt Snedeker, 2015). He had gone 45 begins since he final gained the Zozo Championship in Japan in October 2023.
He can solely hope for larger issues with a brand new outlook on golf — play the sport for the enjoyment, not the approach — and in life. Morikawa took the event of such a giant win to announce he and his spouse predict their first youngster this spring.
„There’s a lot to life, there’s a lot to get pleasure from,“ he mentioned.
The Morikawas predict 🥰
There is no such thing as a higher time to make the announcement! pic.twitter.com/yklxM40MnL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2026
Scheffler started the ultimate day eight pictures behind and was 7 underneath by way of seven holes earlier than the wind started whipping. He had three eagles in his spherical of 63, the final one a 6-iron to 30 inches on the ultimate gap that allowed him to tie Morikawa for the lead.
„I used to be very conscious of Scottie Scheffler’s rating at this time. I imply, what a participant,“ Morikawa mentioned.
Scheffler did not assume it might be sufficient, and it wasn’t.
Moments later, Morikawa holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the fifteenth to take the lead. He adopted with a 6-iron into 8 ft for one more birdie. However a bogey on the par-3 seventeenth — his tee shot was dangerously near the ocean left of the inexperienced — and Lee ending birdie-birdie for a 65, created one other tie.
For all of the drama, it was significantly tense on the par-5 18th as Morikawa waited. And waited. It was 20 minutes from hitting his tee shot to hitting his 4-iron, a wait made longer contemplating what was at stake.
„I used to be capable of pull off an amazing 4-iron,“ he mentioned. „And man, I want a drink.“
Akshay Bhatia, the 54-hole chief by two pictures, made solely two birdies over his final 29 holes. He fell out of the lead after 4 holes and by no means caught up, closing with a 72 to complete three again.
Scheffler was 10 pictures behind after the primary day when he shot 72. He was 13 pictures again at one level Friday. He nonetheless managed to be a significant risk. He wound up in a tie for fourth with Tommy Fleetwood (66), extending his streak to 18 PGA Tour begins within the high 10.
He turned the primary participant in tour historical past to have three eagles in a spherical at Pebble.
„I needed to do one thing particular to provide myself an opportunity,“ Scheffler mentioned. „The again 9, I felt like I needed to get to 21 or 22 (underneath). I performed a bit extra aggressive than I usually am. It was a enjoyable day general. These are the weeks I am happy with. I felt like I used to be battling to provide myself an opportunity.“
Amongst his regrets was a wedge to a again pin on the fifteenth that was a foot away from spinning again to shut vary. It hopped onerous over the inexperienced. He chipped to six ft and missed the par putt.
Morikawa charged his means into the combination with a 62 on Saturday to get inside two pictures of Bhatia, and he did sufficient proper to remain shut — six gamers had a share of the lead in some unspecified time in the future in the course of the remaining spherical — till delivering on the finish.
The Cal alum gained for the seventh time on the PGA Tour since turning professional per week earlier than the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Seashore. Successful at Pebble strikes him to No. 5 on the planet.
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.
