Golf star Collin Morikawa isn’t surprised to see Scottie Scheffler dominating the sport once more in 2024 and has hailed certain strengths that make his fellow American just so good
Collin Morikawa has outlined exactly what makes Scottie Scheffler the world No1 (
Image: Harry How/Getty Images)
Both Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler have each won two majors apiece, but that doesn’t mean the pair are equals.
At least Morikawa’s own comments about his peer don’t appear to suggest he feels as such. That’s after the 27-year-old was only too happy to laud his golf rival, albeit one alongside whom he recently won the Presidents Cup.
One would forgive Morikawa for harbouring some resentment towards his fellow American, having battled him all season both on the PGA Tour and major circuit. Instead, the Los Angeles native – who won both The Open and the PGA Championship in little more than a year – was nothing but glowing when the world No1 came up.
“Scottie’s been playing amazing,” gushed Morikawa during a recent appearance on Grant Horvat Golf. “It’s amazing to see and motivates me, because he hits the ball so frigging good.”
When pressed about what it is specifically about playing in Scheffler’s presence that’s so beneficial, Morikawa steered away from the tangibles. Far from commenting on his style or shot selection, it’s Scheffler’s sense of composure that impresses the Californian the most.
“Even when he makes a mistake, it doesn’t freak him out,” said Morikawa. “He comes up [for] the next shot, and it’s just perfect.”
Morikawa did mention his envy at one aspect of Scheffler’s play, adding: “And his distance control is really good. . .his distance control is unbelievable. And his dispersion, I don’t get it. It looks like he’s missing the ball when he’s swinging, but it’s perfect every time. It’s like, ‘Why can’t I do that?'”
World No1 scheffler has become the dominant force in golf right now ( Getty Images)
Morikawa’s humility and respect for his competitor is even more impressive when one considers their recent history against one another. Two of Scheffler’s last three big wins came about by pipping Morikawa as the runner-up, first at the Memorial Tournament in June and against at the Tour Championship just last month.
One would imagine it’s a safe bet Morikawa isn’t the only elite pro who wonders why they can’t play a little more like Scottie. And after winning two of the past three editions of the Masters, there’s a feeling it’s only a matter of time before Scheffler adds more major silverware to his growing cabinet.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
