Collin Morikawa couldn’t get out of Orlando quick sufficient after coughing up a three-shot lead with 5 holes to play on the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
He rushed to his automobile, and obtained an early begin on his two-hour drive north to Ponte Vedra Seashore, Florida, the place The Gamers is that this week. However he declined to talk to the media after his defeat, leaving many to surprise what went fallacious down the stretch.
Morikawa lastly addressed it throughout his Tuesday press convention at TPC Sawgrass.
“Simply heated. Simply pissed,” Morikawa stated when requested why he did.
“Like I don’t owe anybody something. No offense to you guys, however for me within the second of that point, I didn’t need to be round anybody. Like, I didn’t need to discuss to anybody. I didn’t want any sorries. I didn’t want any ‘good playings.’ Like, you’re simply pissed.”
Sadly for Morikawa, gamers who’ve suffered worse defeats have confronted the music earlier than. Greg Norman on the 1996 Masters instantly involves thoughts. So does Jean van de Velde at Carnoustie in 1999 and Phil Mickelson on the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
One other participant who endured a gut-wrenching deficit?
Rocco Mediate.
Mediate misplaced to Tiger Woods in a 19-hole playoff on the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. He would have received his lone main title if Woods had not made a 12-footer for birdie on the 18th inexperienced to match his rating the day earlier than. As a substitute, Mediate grew to become one of many extra well-known runner-ups within the historical past of the game the next day.
After the playoff, Mediate answered each query — 33 to be actual — and took the loss on the chin, exhibiting the world the right way to lose with dignity.
So when he heard what Morikawa needed to say about why he skipped out on the press at Bay Hill, Mediate scolded him on his Sirius XM Radio Present.
Alex Myers of Golf Digest initially posted it on X.
Rocco Mediate blasts Collin Morikawa on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio present for standing by his choice to not discuss to the media after his shut name at Bay Hill: “Greatest bunch of horsesh-t you could possibly ever say, interval. I imply, that’s the dumbest, most egocentric rubbish you could possibly…
— Alex Myers (@AlexMyers3) March 12, 2025
“Greatest bunch of horsesh-t you could possibly ever say, interval,” Mediate stated.
“I imply, that’s the dumbest, most egocentric rubbish you could possibly ever say. Mr. Palmer would’ve hunted him down.”
What makes skilled golfers so endearing is how followers can relate to them on a human degree, particularly in defeat. Everybody goes by means of trials and tribulations, highs and lows, and golf followers need to perceive how the perfect gamers on the earth — the people who’re idolized — deal with adversity and battle by means of defeats. Most prime gamers, like Morikawa, make thousands and thousands of {dollars} too, however the price of being a professional golfer is that you’ve got an obligation to talk to the followers by means of the media.
“Truthfully, if it was an hour later I might have talked to you guys… However I simply felt like I put every little thing I did into the, let’s name it, seven hours of my time being there, proper, just a few hours earlier than exhibiting up, physio, exercise. Look, my total routine, proper. I used to be simply drained. I get it,” Morikawa stated.
“Such as you guys are there to determine how we performed and the way issues went, however in my perspective, I simply didn’t need to discuss to anybody, and I believe that’s truthful to myself, you recognize?”
However is that truthful to the followers? Does that set a superb instance?
Thousands and thousands look as much as these gamers for inspiration. Avoiding adversity and missing accountability like Morikawa did are unhealthy precedents to set.
Mediate is 100-percent proper.
He is aware of, in any case.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Observe him on X @jack_milko.