PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Collin Morikawa, the 28-year-old fourth-ranked golfer in the world, on Friday after his second round at the Players Championship lashed out at several former players turned media personalities for criticizing him.
The controversy stemmed from Morikawa declining to be interviewed after failing to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday and then, speaking to reporters on Tuesday in advance of the Players, saying he doesn’t “owe” anyone anything for not speaking.
Morikawa lost a three-shot lead with five holes to play Sunday at Bay Hill and then declined a request from a PGA Tour media official to speak to reporters.
On Tuesday, Morikawa explained his stance, saying, “I don’t owe anyone anything. No offense to you guys [reporters], but for me in the moment of that time, I didn’t want to be around anyone. Like, I didn’t want to talk to anyone.”
That comment set off Brandel Chamblee and Paul McGinley from the Golf Channel and Rocco Mediate, who plays on the Champions Tour. All three teed off on Morikawa, blasting him.
Collin Morikawa is pictured during his second round March 14. AP
So, at the end of his post-round session with reporters Friday, after shooting a second-round 65 to get to 9-under and two shots out of the lead, Morikawa said he wanted to “add one more thing.’’
“I might bite my tongue after saying this, but to the Brandel Chamblees, to the Paul McGinleys, to the Rocco Mediates of the world, I don’t regret anything I said,” Morikawa began. “It might have been a little bit harsh that I don’t owe anyone, but I don’t owe anyone.
“I respect the fans. I’m very thankful for them. I’m grateful. It makes me emotional, but it’s just … it hurts to hear people say this, and especially you guys, because I finished the round and I went to go sign [autographs] for 10 minutes, 15 minutes for all the people after. So, for people to be calling me out is … it’s interesting.”
Brandel Chamblee is pictured in June 2023. Getty Images
Paul McGinley is pictured in January 2025. Getty Images
With that, Morikawa, a two-time major champion, exited stage left and went to sign autographs.
Mediate called Morikawa’s comments about not owing anyone the “biggest bunch of horses–t you could ever say, period,” adding, “That is the dumbest, most selfish garbage you could ever say. Mr. Palmer would’ve hunted him down. Trust me on that one because he told me one thing, Mr. Palmer told me one thing that stuck with me. [He said,] ‘You know what, Rock, it’s real easy to go in and talk to somebody when you won or when you’ve played well, but can you do it when you don’t? That’s the key.’
“Your job is to tell people what happened. I don’t give a sh-t about your workout in the morning and all that other crap. Tell me what happened. You lost? You lost. You got beat? That’s what happens. Guess what? Golf’s hard.”
Collin Morikawa is pictured during his second round of The Players Championship on March 14. Getty Images
Chamblee, speaking on Golf Channel’s “Live From” show, called Morikawa’s take “so disrespectful.”
“When I found that he had refused to do the interview I was thinking about the players who had suffered far more devastating losses, far more momentous losses, who regained their equilibrium and with class gave the media … the fans and the sponsors and the entire ecosystem of the golf world an explanation of the humanity of losing,” he said.
Among the New York Met-Area locals, Westchester’s Cam Young is 4-under par after shooting a pair of 70s while Chris Gotterup from Fair Haven, N.J. and Rutgers, finished 2-over and missed the cut as did Max Greyserman from Short Hills, N.J., who finished 8-over.
