It’s that peculiar time of year when it’s unclear which stars are playing which events — and on which continent. For instance, Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed, Shane Lowry, and Sergio Garcia are competing in Spain. Next week, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, and their Ryder captain Luke Donald will be in India.
But this week? Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa are in Japan.
It’s Baycurrent Classic week on the PGA Tour, which may not resonate much with you but holds great significance for them. Morikawa’s father is Japanese-American. Schauffele’s mother grew up in Japan, and his father conducted considerable business there over the years. We gained insight into what Japan means to these two during the 2020 Olympics, when Morikawa and Schauffele represented Team USA. Schauffele performed so well he claimed the Gold medal. Morikawa fell short in a 7-for-1 playoff for Bronze but made his mark on Japan two years later by winning the Zozo Championship.
In elite golfer years, that feels like an eternity ago. Morikawa hasn’t secured an official tournament victory since, though he did post the lowest score at the 2024 Tour Championship. Schauffele won two majors last summer but has struggled to maintain that level since battling an injury last year.
Perhaps, like Morikawa, he’s been trying a bit too hard.
On Tuesday night, I pondered the parallel paths Schauffele and Morikawa seem to be on. From my Chicago flat, scrolling Instagram, I was reminded of the time difference. It was morning in Yokohama, Japan, and a PGA Tour press operations manager asked if I had any urgent questions for the two golfers. They were about to hold back-to-back press conferences, and press conferences need questions.
Both golfers faced challenges in 2025. By my measure, certainly, but by theirs too. You can hear it in their voices and see it in their practice sessions. Now, their focus is on January, the month most Tour pros see as a fresh start. The autumn is the time to sort things out for January, so January and February can prepare them for April. I wanted to know, with the Ryder Cup behind them, what one thing they aimed to achieve this autumn, starting with this week in Japan.
Fortunately, the press manager was eager to help coordinate.
“I think trying to gain a bit of confidence would be the biggest thing,” Schauffele said. “It was a tricky year with injury and a lack of starts early on. Gaining some confidence would probably be the number one thing. Building a bit going into the new year and trying to return to good form.”
You might find that answer simplistic or guarded, but it holds up. Schauffele’s game hasn’t been poor this year. At the Ryder Cup, it was quite strong. But his baseline and ceiling have dipped slightly. A late start to his season left him grinding on the range, ignoring medical advice, and trying to figure things out. If it were that simple, he’d have done it by now. There’s been no lack of effort. Yet, throughout the Tour season, he’d often shoot a 72 at courses where the 2024 version of Xander was comfortably carding 68.
It shows as a series of T8 to T28 finishes, with no top 5s. Over time, that can erode a player’s confidence, even a two-time major champion who has admitted as much to his team. His response was candid and the last he gave before heading to practice.
Minutes later, Morikawa sat in the same chair, answering the same question.
“I’d say there’s two [things, not one],” Morikawa said. “One would be putting; it’s an obvious inconsistency in my game. Just trying to figure out how to sink a few more putts, get a bit more speed.
“Two would be getting my body right so I can hit my cuts again. Numbers-wise, it looks fine, but comfort-wise, I want to step up and hit approach shots knowing exactly where they’re going. I’ll have some time off, which will be nice, and hopefully put that time to good use.”
You might be reading that quote in plain text on your phone, but that’s Collin Morikawa at his most authentic. That’s how he speaks, thinks, and operates. The numbers on his approach play look decent, but he wants to play Collin Golf. He’s repeatedly used that phrase. Collin Golf means hitting 5- to 10-yard cuts consistently, with supreme confidence in their start and landing points.
It was another remarkably honest answer, vivid for anyone reading at home. Morikawa is focused on something tangible — sinking more putts and perfecting those Collin Cuts — while Schauffele is chasing something more abstract — simply feeling good about his game. Both are excellent goals to ponder over the next three months. We’ll be there in January to see how well they’ve addressed them.
This article originated on Golf.com
