by South Florida Golf Pro | Aug 10, 2020 | Golf News
Photo credit: Golf.com
The 2020 PGA Championship occurred August 6-9 at TPC Harding Park, but this year it was a little different. There were no in-person attendees at the 2020 PGA Championship. With no fans in sight, Collin Morikawa made the golf tournament even more historical with his final send off to his maiden major title. But who exactly is Collin Morikawa, and how did he make history this past weekend? Learn more about the new golf champ from our golfing experts at our South Florida golf club.
Who is Collin Morikawa?
Collin Morikawa is the 23-year-old golfer who won the 2020 PGA Championship. In 2019, Morikawa graduated from the University of California-Berkeley with a degree in Business Administration.1 Morikawa is from Los Angeles, California, and turned pro in 2019.1 At only 23 years old, he is truly making history with his golf skills.
Collin Morikawa broke records last Sunday, August 9, when he shot the lowest closing 36-hole score. In fact, he posted the weekend with rounds of 65 and 64 being the lowest. Morikawa’s 129 total is being compared to legends like Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, and Marc Leishman.2 Morikawa has already been compared to Tiger Woods several times this year with his nearly matched consecutive cuts, which kick-started his professional golf career.2
Winning the PGA Championship at only 23 years old has happened only a handful of times before. Gene Sarazen and Tom Creavy were PGA Tournament winners before they both turned 23.3. However, legends Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy were all winners at the same age as Morikawa.3 Morikawa’s six-under-par 64 in the final round of the golf tournament helped him win the number one spot.
What’s Next for Collin Morikawa?
While the 23-year-old has just made history with his PGA Championship win, this is only the beginning for his career. Collin Morikawa has now qualified for the Tokyo Games in 2021.4 He went from being an alternate on the U.S. Olympic team to now landing a number two spot.4
Collin Morikawa’s career does not stop here, and it’s only the beginning point. The 23-year-old professional golfer will continue playing golf and taking each week as they come. According to Morikawa, “I love golf. I love every part of it. I love being in this position and I love just being able to come out here and play with a bunch of guys that love the sport, too.”5
While Morikawa’s career blossoms, you too can practice your skills with our golf membership deals. For almost 50 years, the golf course at Deer Creek has served the South Florida community and beyond with our state-of-the-art golf course. Brush up on your skills by checking out our golf tips for beginners. Contact us today at 954-429-0006 to book your tee time and experience our championship signature course.
Sources
- PGA Tour – Collin Morikawa
- Golfdigest – PGA Championship 2020: Collin Morikawa breaks major mark shared by Tiger Woods
- Sporting News – Collin Morikawa, 23, emulates Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy with first major win
- Yahoo Sports – Collin Morikawa jumps into projected Olympic golf field
- PGA Tour – Morikawa comes of age at PGA Championship
by South Florida Golf Pro | Apr 24, 2020 | Golf News
The coronavirus pandemic has greatly affected the world of sports. The need for social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19 has put a damper on most major sporting events with several cancelations and postponements announced in March and April. The NBA suspended its 2019-20 season1, the Football Association postponed numerous matches, and the 2020 Olympics were postponed until 2021.2
The world of golf has been no different, golf tournaments are also being canceled and postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. The latest news is that golf’s governing bodies announced three of the four men’s major championships would be postponed including the 2020 Masters, which will now happen in November.
“We want to emphasize that our future plans are incumbent upon favorable counsel and direction from health officials. Provided that occurs and we can conduct the 2020 Masters, we intend to invite those professionals and amateurs who would have qualified for our original April date and welcome all existing ticket holders to enjoy the excitement of Masters week.” – Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club 3
Major Changes to the 2020 PGA Tour Schedule
In addition to the The Masters, two other major men’s golf championships will be postponed to dates later in the year. The 2020 PGA Championship, originally scheduled for May 14-17, will now take place from August 6-9. It will still be played at the TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The U.S. Open, originally scheduled for June 18-21, will be played to September 17-20. The venue will remain the same with championship taking place at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
Unfortunately, one major championship was not able to escape cancellation. The 2020 Open Championship will be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event was originally going to take place July 16-19 at the Royal St. George’s Golf Course. This is the first time since World War II that the golf championship has been canceled.
I can assure everyone that we have explored every option for playing The Open this year but it is not going to be possible. […] Most of all I would like to thank our fans around the world and all of our partners for their support and understanding. At a difficult time like this we have to recognize that sport must stand aside to let people focus on keeping themselves and their families healthy and safe. We are committed to supporting our community in the weeks and months ahead and will do everything in our power to help golf come through this crisis.” – Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive at The R&A4
Sources
- Steve Aschburner, NBA.com – Coronavirus pandemic causes NBA to suspend season after player tests positive
- org – JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE AND THE TOKYO 2020 ORGANISING COMMITTEE
- Fred Ridley, Masters.com – 2020 Masters Targeting November 9-15
- Martin Slumbers, TheOpen.com – Statement from The R&A / The Open in 2020 to be Cancelled
by South Florida Golf Pro | Feb 4, 2019 | Deer Creek Golf Club, Events, Golf Events, Golfing, PGA, South Florida golf course
2019 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Formerly known as the Bay Hill Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, presented by Mastercard, is a prominent event in the golfing world many people look forward to attending every year. (more…)
