The win at Pebble Beach was Collin Morikawa’s first win in two and a half years. He has been on tour 7 years now and has won two significant championships – the PGA Championship in 2020 and The Open in 2021.
It was not an easy win by any stretch of imagination. Tied for the lead after bogey at 17, Morikawa hit a 4 iron to the 18th green with the wind coming off the ocean which pushed his shot just right of the green. He was able to putt it to tap-in range for a one stroke victory over Min Woo Lee and Sepp Straka. Due to a backup at the finishing hole, Morikawa had to wait an interminable 20 minutes to hit his approach shot.
Morikawa finished -22 with Min Woo Lee and Sepp Straka -21, tied for second. Tommy Fleetwood and Scottie Scheffler tied for fourth at -20. There were lots of eagles, and birdies on Sunday, with Scottie Scheffler making another amazing run to the finish after a slow start.
Pebble Beach Golf Links once again showed itself to be the most felicitous meeting of land and sea with its dramatic, scenic coastline and stunning Pacific Ocean views.
Morikawa said he came out Sunday with a “winning mindset.” After posting an incredible 62 on Saturday to get in the mix, he said “there is an art to golf. We are artists and my game is more about feel and creativity. It felt good to play golf and enjoy playing, instead of worrying about every swing and trying to be perfect.” Golf is not a game of perfection but Morikawa has found his self-belief again and joy for the game. That mindset should bode well for him moving forward.
For the first two rounds of the tournament, 80 young golfers and celebrities paired up with professional golfers in the Pro-Am portion of the tournament. Mary Meeker, a PGA Tour board member and an American Venture Capitalist, won the pro-am tournament with Keegan Bradley. It was the first time a woman has won the Pro-Am Title at Pebble Beach.
Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, finished tied for 29th with professional partner Billy Horschel.
The 2026 Genesis Invitational is the next stop for the PGA Tour this week at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. As a premier PGA Tour Signature event hosted by Tiger Woods, the tournament returns to its traditional home from February 19-22.
The tournament was held at Torrey Pines in 2025 because of the fire devastation in Pacific Palisades. It is the 100th playing of the event. The tournament marks the final stop of the PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing.
Meanwhile, it is worth noting that Charley Hull has moved into the top 3 in the world for the first time in her career. The 29-year-old Englishwomen jumped up two spots from a previous-best ranking of No. 5 after a come-from-behind victory at the PIF Saudi Ladies International this weekend.
Jeeno Thitiku, who climbed into the top spot August 4, remains No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings while Nelly Korda is No. 2.
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