Collin Morikawa opened up about a key mid-tournament equipment change — switching to a custom-built TaylorMade mallet putter he’d been waiting months to debut. After struggling with his putting stroke on Thursday, the change sparked a strong rebound in his game.
In this interview, Morikawa discusses:
Why he finally made the switch
How the putter feels in competition
His approach play heading into the final round
Thoughts on rising star Aldrich Potgieter
The impact of fan support during his round
Watch as Morikawa balances honesty, strategy, and a touch of humor in his quest to climb the leaderboard heading into the final day.
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hey Colin I know you talked about it a little bit already but uh where’d you get the mallet putter from and uh how’d you feel with it in your hands today
uh I’ve been asking Tailor Made Uh it actually was a project to build over the fall and they they were able to come through and kind of early in the season when I had it Every time I was going to try and use it and put it in the week before leading up the the blade felt really good So I haven’t had that big of a shot to put it in and um you know was using a different spider putter uh kind of after Augusta still kind of bouncing around then going back to the blade and you know after Thursday it just it was time and uh this was a project I was asking them for to make and they you know came through and uh it’s finally nice to put it in and uh see some results with it
After the first try you said you put it like a blind man where you say you’re seeing things a little better out there
Yeah Yeah I mean it’s I haven’t been reading them that poorly It’s just the stroke you know I was blocking everything And and what’s weird is that throughout the year it’s been mainly speed just like matching up speed and line Uh Thursday was really different Thursday I just felt like I couldn’t square up the face And um you know it was nice having the round yesterday to just kind of match everything see things come together and hopefully we can continue that into tomorrow and the rest of the season
You mentioned that despite how good the numbers are the approach play wasn’t where you wanted it to be Um you’re leading the field this week in approach Is it where you want to be this week yeah Yeah Yeah I mean I I I of course I want to be leading Um you know I’m playing a slightly different shot than I would I ideally like Um but you know there comes a point where I just have to stop fighting it and I I just have to go out and play golf And uh it’s frustrating because some of the shots that I will have you know I know what I can do but they’re just not performing that way So I have to kind of cater to the shots I have which is a straight ball to a two- yard draw to a two- yard fade It’s it’s very tight dispersions which you know I don’t mind Um you just I have to think a little bit differently how I approach them
Would you ideally want to curve it a little more
yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Ideally I’ I’d be able to add a little more spin add a little more cut use a little more in my hands but you know just timing of of things isn’t quite there yet but you know we’ll figure it out at some point
Any thoughts on Aldrick Parker and his game
uh you know I’ve never seen it in person I’ve just seen the numbers that he produces and uh he hits it very very far And look I I hope I’m within a handful tomorrow um on this course you know I think the wins go back to what we saw the first two days Par fives get a little more getable for me and um hopefully we can just kind of get off to a nice start tomorrow and put a little pressure on that
Did you notice anything with the course playing differently today
i mean greens are kind of getting a little more bounce you know with the wind having that little opposite of a wind Um the holes that play hard originally are playing easier and then the the holes that play easy kind of switched and you know you just have to take advantage when you’re when you’re giving them and just kind of left a few out there but it’s fine
Kylin have you changed putters in the middle of a tournament very often yeah Yeah It’s not a not an unusual thing Um uh I did it sure I’ve done it a couple times this year You know I did it last year at Augusta uh did it a bunch early on so it’s not not not uncomfortable to say the least
I got you And then can you take me to the T- shots on nine and 11 two birdies Not many guys birdie both those in the same round
Yeah I mean it perfect numbers You know sometimes of course when you’re playing well you just have perfect numbers and and those two holes were perfect seven iron perfect five iron where I could hit that shot that I’ve been hitting recently which is pretty much a straight ball So I can aim a little right let the wind take it kind of helping uh landed you know front edge of the green let it release and was nice to make those two putts
And certainly you’d like to be leading but is there something about you know kind of being right you know right behind that’s a little fun going into tomorrow
yeah I I I mean I like I said I think by the end of today hopefully I’m I’m within a handful Um you know if it if they start reaching 20 21 22 uh it’s going to take something special But look if I can put together what I’ve seen over the last three days hopefully I can make that special day happen And I mean look I I I know what’s at stake Um you know I want to find a way to get it done tomorrow One simple easy one for you This crowd I followed you for the last few holes Just the confidence that they have in you
How much does that fuel you when you are trying to make a run in a tournament like this where you’ve been now pretty much a face of the tournament both times you’ve been here
uh it’s a lot of fun I mean the crowds mean the world and and they bring so much energy So like when I’m making the turn when you’re on nine even early on when you’re kind of on two three four um they were there and it just pushes me a little bit more to to want to play well and to make a few more birdies And when you make those putts for birdie you know like after I made bogey on uh 15 you go to 16 make birdie it’s like it brings the energy and uh hopefully we can bring that into tomorrow
Thanks a lot
All right thanks Thanks guys
Good
