Collin Morikawa reacts after missing a putt on the seventh green during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Valhalla Golf Club. Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

Collin Morikawa is developing a worrisome Sunday trend

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated 5/20/24

Collin Morikawa isn't the competitive killer he was just a few years ago. Once a feared shot-maker with the tournament on the line, the two-time major champion has become one of the worst Sunday performers on the PGA Tour.

Morikawa, who entered the final round of the PGA Championship tied for the lead at 15 under par, stumbled to an even-par 71 on Sunday to fall back to a tie for fourth place.

He didn't make a birdie until the par-5 18th hole at Valhalla Golf Club, the easiest hole on the easiest PGA Championship course in history by 254 shots, per Justin Ray of The Athletic.

Morikawa was good enough with his ball striking to win the tournament, but he lost 3.63 strokes to the field from putting alone on Sunday. Only two players fared worse on the greens in the final round.

Collin Morikawa made 34' 4" of putts on Sunday. He made two putts outside three feet all day
— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) May 20, 2024

This would be forgivable if it was an anomaly, but this is who Morikawa has been all year.

The 27-year-old was also in the final pairing at the Masters alongside Scottie Scheffler, and he shot a 2-over 74 with two double bogeys on Sunday to take himself out of the running. A week later, he entered the final round of the RBC Heritage two strokes back of Scheffler and limped to a 1-over 72.

The American now ranks 158th out of 184 PGA Tour players in final-round scoring average (71.58) this season. He hasn't shot under par in a final round since the Genesis Invitational in February.

This is concerning for a player who used to thrive under pressure. Morikawa ranked 25th in final-round scoring average a year ago, eighth in 2022 and 46th in 2021. He won the 2020 PGA Championship thanks to a final-round 64 and a brilliant eagle on the 70th hole of the tournament; arguably the most clutch shot in a major championship this century. He shot a Sunday 66 to outduel Jordan Spieth and Louis Oosthuizen at the 2021 Open Championship.

Players used to fear Morikawa in the final round, but ever since he blew a six-shot lead to Jon Rahm on Sunday at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions, that hasn't been the case. The star golfer won't be able to return to his major-winning ways if he can't conquer his current affliction of the Sunday scaries.

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