PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Collin Morikawa dreamed of his winning moment. He spent months visualizing it. ACTIvE a midweek phone call with his mental coach, Rick Sessinghaushe focused on her again. After a Saturday of 62, he allowed himself to believe in it.
And finally, Morikawa aced the 72nd hole at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the moment of victory arrived. A birdie at the last and he would be a PGA Tour champion for the first time in two and a half years.
The only thing standing between the two-time major champion and luck?
To be fair, Bridgeman wasn’t too worried about his role in the proceedings. By the time he reached the 18th fairway Sunday afternoon, Bridgeman was still an outside shot at a victory himself, needing an eagle and a Morikawa on the par-5 final to force a three-way playoff.
But then he threw his second shot over the rocks and onto the beach, and a LOT the unfortunate sequence of events was revealed.
First came a disaster from the beach: a lengthy rules discussion that led to a heavy hitter, which tumbled off the rocks and into the ocean. Then came one the second Long discussion of the rules, this time about the legitimacy of a fall from above others beach side, up from the freeway. Then a long walk to the safe point area. Then, thankfully, an approach went all the way to the green that landed on the putting surface. Bridgeman rushed to the putting green, but by then the damage was done: Morikawa had been standing in the fairway on his ball — facing a terrible second shot and needing a birdie to win the golf tournament — for more than 20 minutes.
“I knew what I had to do,” Morikawa said later. “I think I walked to the ocean, at least 10 times. I just had to keep moving. You know, it’s weird to say, but these long vacations. I mean, it’s just not good for somebody to stay still.”
When strong winds at Pebble Beach sent Bridgeman’s ball swinging around the green, prompting a third regulation intervention, fans at home could do little but laugh. Mercifully, Bridgeman eventually put his putt for an adventurer—and it takes time – bogey. Back on the freeway, now, finally, it was Morikawa’s turn.
As he calmed his nerves, Morikawa returned to his dream. To the vision. About the conversation with Sessinghaus. For faith. He thought about what that vision looked like.
“When I first came out and turned pro, since I honestly didn’t care about making cuts or top-20s, I went out and won,” Morikawa said. “I wanted to go out and win, win the weekend, win the tournament.”
With the tournament leaning on a long-awaited swing suddenly, he gathered himself, took a breath and shot – watching as his ball sailed over the famous tree on the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach and landed safely on the edge of the green.
A simple up-down was provided for the bird. The tournament was won. Morikawa could do nothing but claim his first win on American soil in five long years – ending a career-ending two-and-a-half-season winless streak with a victory at one of America’s most heralded golf courses.
“It’s hard to think you’re still the same person, a little wiser, a little more mature, but there is, there’s a lot of hope and there’s a bright future ahead,” Morikawa said. “I will enjoy this for sure.”
As Morikawa savored the fulfillment of that vision from the 18th green, he couldn’t contain his emotions. His voice faltered.
“When I first turned pro, I was just looking too far ahead,” he said. “I think I’m going to change that perspective and just enjoy this. Shoot, we’re at Pebble Beach right now, so I’m going to enjoy this.”
For a moment, at least, it seemed worth the wait.
