#collinmorikawa #rydercup #keeganbradley #bethpage #procorechampionship #pgatour
Collin Morikawa has spoken ahead of the Procore Championship in Napa, revealing the close bond within Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup team and his excitement to play in front of the passionate Bethpage fans.
Morikawa says the unity in Team USA is stronger than ever, with Bradley setting the tone as captain. With the Ryder Cup edging closer, Morikawa is relishing the chance to compete in New York and feel the full force of the home crowd.
👉 Do you think Bethpage fans will give Team USA the edge? Let us know in the comments!
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But it was, you know, there’s always going to be a lot of good memories having to being able to get a sponsor’s exemption and I know I haven’t made it back in the past few years, but um this style of golf is so different than what we see, especially kind of as we played through playoffs. So, it’s fun to be back and uh have a nice home crowd. I’ve heard a lot of go Bears already through, you know, two days of being on property. So, it’s it’ll be fun to kind of see how the week progresses. Practice day yesterday, then just finished up your proam. What are your some of your takeaways from uh Silverado Resort? Yeah, I’ve actually I mean, like I said, I’ve forgotten the not quirkiness, but a lot of the dog legs and a lot of the shot making you have to have out here and a lot of spin control with some of the smaller greens. So, it’s fun to play this style of golf because we don’t get to play it that often on tour and um I think it takes a different skill set sometimes uh to be able to navigate your way around this golf course. All right, we’ll take some questions from the media. If you have a question, you can raise your hand. We’ll start right here with Marty. Hey, Colin. Welcome to Napa and Silverado. How how connected is this United States Rder Cup team this week under Keegan Bradley’s leadership as far as you know bringing the team here to Napa and is he as a turning ground before Beth Paige? What is the emotion like? What is the spirit of the team like as you continue this tournament here and in preparation for Beth Page? Yeah, I think when you look back at a couple years ago, a lot of us came in taken four weeks off and uh at the end of the day, you know, we looked back and said, “How do we how do we get better, right? How do we give ourselves a better chance to go out there and compete?” And um I know for myself, I didn’t feel like I was as prepared a couple years ago, even though I put a lot of work in those four weeks. Tournament golf is just different and you have to be able to show up. So, it’s great to have pretty much everyone here this week. uh a lot of great vibes uh throughout the meetings and the dinners we’ve had and um that’s what you you ask for. You know, I think we’re all very close. I mean, more than half of these guys on the team I’ve known for over 10 years. So, you know, it’s that much more comfortable. And I think a lot of us have have been fairly close. And look, my first ever lunch on tour was with JT. And now that I’ve been able to play three Ryder Cups or two Ryder Cups with him, um three Ryder Cups actually, it’s, you know, it’s amazing, right? So, a lot of that just bleeds into it, but I think having this little earlier start for us um is getting us prepared a little bit more. All right, go to Paula. Obviously, being here is different, right, in terms of preparation doing this event, but what are some other things that you’ve noticed or or done even to that feel different than in previous Rder Cups to get ready for this one and and maybe what have you noticed from Keegan that has been a little different, too? I think a lot of it comes down to Keegan. Um, Keegan’s been very open to talking a lot of to a lot of us, a lot of players, just asking, you know, what can he do for us to make the week that much easier. It’s amazing how long you’re there for and how quickly it goes because of just things you have to do, practice with the team, dinners with the team. You’re just slightly in a different order. Um, but he’s been open to hearing every suggestion possible from all of us to say, how do we make it as normal as can be and go out there and do what we need to do is put points on the board. So, he’s he’s been, you know, a lot of credit to him. He’s put a lot of hours and um phone calls behind the scenes that even I don’t know about. Um but I I want to make sure that he’s, you know, we we say thanks to him because he’s he’s done a lot for us to to bring us all together and and to do, you know, what we need to do to go out there and try and be our best. Go ahead, Colin. as somebody who’s been on that on that first tea in a Friday morning, uh, which is there’s nothing like it obviously in your sport, what do you tell the guys that have not experienced that? Yeah. Um, it was funny. I was actually talking to Harris a little bit about it and it goes by so quickly and it’s being able to take a half beat longer, not just on the tea, but almost like walking up in through the tunnels and saying, “Hey, like let me just take a deep breath.” and then you’re going to remember that that much more and that much more crystal clear. Um, I remember how I felt. I remember certain aspects of being on that first tea at Whistling, but it kind of went away a little too quickly and it sucks because, you know, 15 years, 10 years down the road, I want to be able to really really crystallize that image and say that’s where I was in that moment. Um, I can do that throughout a handful of events. I can do it slightly throughout that first T- shot of whistling, but um those for those rookies, you know, you really have to just take it in. And I think when you’re able to take that in a little bit more, you step on that first tee, you’re able to focus on that golf shot and just hopefully execute. Just have a follow that’s unrelated to that. But you have a handful of guys on this team that are pretty pretty low-key guys, you know, don’t show a lot of demonstrative emotion. Um can you name them? Well, you mean obviously I mean Cam, you know, Cam, let’s start with Cam and uh but you know JJ, a lot of you know a lot of those, you know, Henley, those guys are not really fist pumpers much. I’m curious, will will this will this get that out of them like like it did Duvall in Brookline, so to speak? Like that was a good example of somebody Yeah. You know, it’s it’s so interesting because I I think you only see us in our individual setting, right? And that’s the hardest part. If you I think if you watched a lot of us at home play, you would see a completely different side of us. And I think because of the nature of how golf is, it’s 72 holes by ourselves with our caddies and you’re not just playing against the people in your group. So when you’re fist pumping, say on a Thursday on a normal event, it it almost looks like you’re you’re psyching yourself out and you’re kind of afraid of other people. Whereas when you’re fist pumping at home and you’re playing a match a match one v one or you’re fist pumping at the RDER Cup, that’s a lot different. So I think you’re going to see a little emotion out of some of these guys that you’re not used to. And it’s not because they’re trying to be any different. We’re we’re very we’re a very competitive team. And when it comes down to it, it’s like, yeah, I mean, I can definitely count I’ve fist bumped way more in RDER Cups and President’s Cups than any individual event. Um, but that’s because it’s just a head, you know, head-to-head match and, you know, you see it at home. You see, you see us do that type of stuff. It’s just doesn’t come out in these normal weeks because it’s kind of needs to get down to Sunday. You need to be in contention in that scenarios. Come back to the right side. Hey, Cyn. Uh, shifting gears to this week. How comfortable do you feel playing here at the Procore Championship in Northern California? And what do you make of Silverado course resort as a whole? Yeah, I touched on it earlier. I mean, I having a lot of people come up to me, having, you know, Berkeley ties and saying, “Go Bears.” Like, I I love that, right? Anytime you’re able to play in front of a lot of friends, a lot of family, people that you have a connection with, it helps that much more. So, it it feels very comfortable to be out here and I’m excited for the week. I hope I I play really well and, you know, bring it for those people that are coming. I know Saturday, I believe, is like a college day where, you know, they’re going to allow a little more uh college students to come. So, hopefully they’ll come out. um Silverado, you know, I had two years when I played I want to say I played in 18 um and 19 18 as an AM, 19 as my first year and uh good memories. You know, I actually missed the cut unfortunately the first time and then, you know, played decent the second time and it’s just hasn’t fit in the schedule and that’s just part of the nature of golf for us sometimes, but it’s good to be back. I love playing California. I love playing out here in the Bay Areaish. Um you know, it’s close enough and uh it’s it’ll hopefully be a great week. All right, we’ll go to Doug. Have you ever seen anyone fist pump on Thursday? Uh, I’m sure I have at some point. No, it’s rare. It’s rare. I’m going to do it. I’m going to do it on the hopefully first party. Fourth cup or fifth play. Is that right? Team events. Yeah. 21 is that? Wow. Sounds about right. I don’t know. I uh I talked to, you know, Furick was out there walking with me and um I think sometimes with the style of game I have, I I I I work well with a lot of players and sometimes you just have to be that guy that just kind of steps in and says, “You’re going to fit this mold.” And I have no issues with that. I’m going to do what’s best for the team if if that’s what people believe. I think at this point now I kind of know certain vibes and certain, you know, characteristics that I would want out of someone. And that doesn’t mean their style of golf game, but just who they are and and and what they bring out when they’re when we’re playing. Um, but yeah, I mean, Furick said I I asked him, I was like, “Who’d you play with a bunch?” He’s like, “No one.” I I I bounced around between everyone. And that’s not a bad thing. Furk is a phenomenal golfer. Phenomenal. It’s just I think the style of my game you can kind of piece in and depending how well I’m playing it’s like you could piece it in with this guy, you could piece it in with this and um that’s just who I am and I you know partnerships. Yeah, in a way in a way. And uh yeah. Secondly, given your cup experience, what kind of recollections do you have from the end of 23? Because that was your first losing team. What was that like after it was over plane trip home? How much did it did it stick with you? It’s it sucked. It sucked. I don’t I don’t know. You know, I can’t speak on behalf of everyone, but I want to say for a majority of us, it it sucked because you go in there wanting to win so bad and doing everything you can to go and win an away one. And when you don’t accomplish that and you see everyone else cheering and and you see, you know, we’re we’re walking away, it you my head at least immediately goes to what could I have done better for the team and what could I have done to to prepare better and and show up and and put more points on the board? Um because I think I ended up playing four matches two years ago. And it’s just, you know, you you it sits with you for a little bit because for me it’s like essentially I had, you know, one more event after that and, you know, didn’t really play that much after and you sit kind of the through the rest of the fall thinking, man, this sucks. And that’s two years you have to wait to hopefully make the team again. Um, so it it lights a fire in all of us that were there. Um, but home crowds are different. Hopefully we can use that to our advantage as much as we can and and just use that extra little energy to, you know, hopefully sway a couple matches and then those are sometimes the most meaningful ones. All right, we’ll go to Steph and then Adam. Can you speak to your experience with Ryder Cup forums pairings specifically um with how much work goes into matching compatibilities of each other’s balls? Yeah, it’s it is difficult. I’ve never been someone that’s been too worried about the golf ball. Um, I think I play one of the spinnier balls on tour just in general. So, for me, when I go to a lower spinning ball, which is a lot of other guys, the driver just goes straight and farther, which is a tough tough thing to to work with. Um, but it it is part of that, right? Compatibilities, characteristics. You have to be able to lean on one each other. I think, you know, I said it to someone earlier, you can put all 12 of us in any combination and we can make it work. At the end of the day, you have to go out and play good golf. The start of that comes with the comfort level of who you’re paired with and do you trust the other player? Do you feel angsty around them? Are you worried that you know you’re going to mess something up? Like there’s a lot of things that go into it and there’s a lot of data that we have and and you and that’s where I think I look back at a few years ago at Rome. We just have to be honest with Keegan and our vice captains about what we want and what we feel comfortable with. I I think nothing can be left on the table and nothing can be hidden because when that happens, you’re ending up hurting not just yourself but the rest of the guys. And uh I’ll be honest, I think that that has happened in the past. You know, even with myself and back to, you know, Doug’s point of of having a lot of players, it’s like I feel like I fit in with a lot of guys and I feel very comfortable, but sometimes you have to put your foot in the ground and say, “Look, this is what we I feel like I’m going to perform the best with or without.” And uh you go from there. But there’s there’s a lot of factors that go in with the whole characteristic stuff. Go ahead, Adam. Colin, is there a part of your game that you’ve been focused on trying to get ready for this for the RDER Cup? Yeah. Um, look, I I know, you know, after the tour champ, everyone felt like it was a long season. I got straight to work the Monday right after. Um, I’m really trying to figure out these irons and it’s crazy to say, but and the putting putting as well. I mean, I I’ve got a new putter in the bag this week. Um, which I did a lot of work that Monday right after tour champ. But the irons, I want to show up at Beth Paige and be able to just aim five yards left, 10 yards left, 3 feet left and just fire and pepper at those pins cuz that’s what people, you know, people get excited about. Obviously, you need to make the putts. Um, but that’s just something I’ve been fighting over the past few years is is just, you know, there’s to me there’s a difference of missing at 20 feet left and 20 feet right. It’s the same number no matter what, you know, strokes, gains and stuff, but um I want to know where my misses are going and and that’s what I’ve been working on really really hardly and um hopefully we can, you know, it it’s been really good work. Just got to keep getting where where I want to be in a couple weeks, but everything’s feeling so great so far uh heading into this week at least. What did it mean to you, to the team that Bryson made the effort to be here this week? Not just this week, he’s he’s made efforts to come out to other meetings and other dinners as well. Um, it shows that he just cares, you know, like like I said, I I think this whole individual aspect, um, we’ve all thrown that out the window and we will all do what it takes to be with the team. Um, so to have him there yesterday, uh, being around the team, hanging out, like it’s they’re they’re all positives for us. And I think the more we can all be together, which we’ve already been, um, the closer we’re going to be and the more comfortable we’re going to be. You know, it’s it’s been pretty seamless, I think, through all my team events. Like there’s there hasn’t been any awkwardness around anyone. Like I’m not saying just cuz we lost in Rome there was awkwardness in the team room. like all of us have been great together, but just adding that extra little week, adding in the extra little dinners, uh hanging out, that just shows that he cares and uh like I said, he’s going to he’s going to do everything it takes and everything we need it and we need from him um to go out and put points on the board. All right, come back over here, Bob. Before you played that first RDER Cup, would you have had any experience at the competition? Yeah. How hard is it to get used to Walker Cup? Me and Norman Jang should have been nine and seven, it was eight and seven. Um, yeah. I I feel like that’s a format I’ve always kind of been put in. Um, maybe because like that’s just, you know, I I hit a lot of fairways, I guess, and kind of keep it in play, but I’ve I’ve played, you know, Palmer Cups, Walker Cups, um, where I’ve I’ve had enough forums uh, practice. And that’s why like for me the ball thing you back to the ball question like I said I play a spinning ball it’s easier to go a little lower spinning you know I think when the guys are super lower spinning just say like a Cam Young’s got that new titleless ball um it’s harder to go to a spinning ball because then when it spins I mean it could be a very very big difference. So back to the whole pairing stuff like that’s part of it. Um, but yeah, I I I feel like it’s been a it’s been a format that I’ve I I I certainly like. Do you have an opinion on why these these rider cups of late, even though the teams appear fairly evenly matched, the home teams have been really dominating? Do you have any any sense as to why that has been? It’s tough. Um, you know, I can only speak on on my two. I think it just there’s something about being at home. We don’t like we don’t we don’t get that on tour, right? You maybe get a homelike event and I guess you know RSM would be the closest one to guys actually playing their home event where they practice at all the time. Um but even then it’s you have a home crowd where I mean I’ll never forget driving up to whistling that morning on Friday. I mean all you see is red, white, and blue. All you hear are Americans screaming. all you all you hear are, you know, American songs and that’s it just sometimes pulls enough out of you and I think when you go away you just have to you have to go out and and be that villain sometimes and um yeah I don’t know but I I hope it it continues cuz uh I’m looking forward to that entire not just New York crowd but whole USA crowd really bring it. I mean it helps it helps. I think any sport can say a home crowd helps it especially for us this those you know two weeks. All right, got time for two more. We’ll go here and then finish up with Mark to follow up on that a little bit and I imagine this is something you’ve thought about a lot over your previous experiences and going into this year. But to you, why is the writer cup important? Well, I think anytime you get to represent your country, right, and we’re wearing a much bigger shirt and heart on our sleeves than I am, say this week, like this week, I’m fighting for myself and I I want to go out and win it, you know, for my team and everyone, but like I’m out there to to beat all these other 143 other guys, right? The times I’ve been able to wear the red, white, and blue, you just can’t take that lightly. So, when you’re representing your entire country and you’re playing multiple other countries, right, essentially, well, you’re playing an entire continent, right? Like, you have to go up and step to the plate and show up. And when you don’t, like I did two years ago, you just it it eats at you because it it sucks. It’s a terrible feeling. So they’re they’re so memorable because you look at the history, you look at kind of the moments that are made, the the team rooms, the the memories that are made amongst, you know, the wives and the and the players and the captains. Like you make friends for life. Like it’s a lot more bonding than people realize. Um and the bonding happens so quickly, but it lasts a lifetime. And those memories and the stories just go on and on. So, um, you obviously want positive stories at the at the end of the week because it comes down to hopefully winning that RER Cup. And listening straight that atmosphere surprised you at all that catch you off guard. Is that kind of what you expected or Yeah. No, I honestly like I I crazy enough like I told this story before like I felt more nervous at the Walker Cup Toff than I did the first hollow whistling maybe because it was a home crowd and it felt that much, you know, at ease. Um, but it it was everything I expected. I expect a lot more um in New York, so it’s we’ll see. Good. All right, we’ll wrap it up here. The consensus on Sam Burns. Obvious everybody talks about his putting and he’s best putter out there. I’m sure you guys all observe each other, maybe talk to each other about things. What in your opinion makes him such a good putter? Um, you know, I I haven’t tapped into his head too much. I love when I’ve played with him and partnered up because I just try and hit it on the green and he makes them all. Um I think, you know, I I listened to Scotty talk about him one time or someone talked about him. I think he just does all the basics really good. Uh I’ve played a lot at home this past week, not a lot, but a handful of times with Taylor Montgomery and Maverick McNeely. Two of the best putters on tour as well, right? And you ask them and they’re very different in how they approach putting. But what they do is they’re always just very confident and very assertive with how they pick their lines and believing that it’s right. You know, like sometimes I’ll step on in a fairway and it could be the most obvious eight iron and I’ll I’ll feel seven iron or I’ll feel nine iron. Like it’s that gut feeling that I think really good putters have is saying, “No, this is going in.” Um so I think it just takes that over time. But yeah, I mean obviously all of you guys can putt, you wouldn’t be here. But um is there ever for any facet of of the game are where you have a little bit of uh I don’t say jealousy is the right word, but envy of about how how well a guy does something particularly well, if that makes any sense. Is there like I mean do you have Well, yeah. I mean, I wish I I wish I could putt like Sam Burns all the time or, you know, drive it like certain like really long. Um, but sometimes, you know, you have to remember who you are and kind of play your game. Um, and that doesn’t mean that you can’t creep your way towards those players. Um, and that’s what’s great about these team events. You really get to tap into a lot of brains and a lot of smart guys on how they do things. And sometimes it’s just one little conversation can spark something. Um, and that’s why, you know, I’m always trying to learn. I’m always trying to ask other players, not necessarily during a week like this, but at home off weeks, team events, you really get to tap into those the knowledge that people have. And um you know, side story, I remember at Whistling, I had six like two vice captains and like four players watching my putting. Striker was a little bit worried. Um, but I tell him like don’t. It’s it’s just the more knowledge the better because that that makes you a more well-rounded player um and person and and just how you see things. So, yeah. Awesome. Thanks for the time, Colin. Awesome. All right. All right. All right.
