PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Collin Morikawa dreamed of his winning moment. He spent months visualizing it. During a midweek conversation with his mental coach, Rick Sessinghaus, he focused on it again. After a Saturday 62, he allowed himself to believe in it.
And then Morikawa finally reached the 72nd hole of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the winning moment arrived. A birdie on the final and he would become PGA Tour champion for the first time in two and a half years.
The only thing standing between the two-time major champion and fate?
Jacob Brugman.
To be honest, Bridgeman wasn’t too concerned about his role in the proceedings. Arriving at the 18th fairway on Sunday afternoon, Bridgeman still had an outside chance at victory, needing an eagle and a Morikawa par on the par-5 last to force a three-way playoff.
But then he blew his second shot far from the rocks onto the beach, and… terribly unfortunate sequence of events unraveled.
First came disaster from the beach: a lengthy discussion about the rules that led to a heavy wedge shot plopping off the rocks and crashing into the ocean. Then came one second lengthy rules discussion, this time about the legitimacy of a decline in the other side of the beach, near the shipping channel. Then a long walk to the safe drop area. Then luckily an approach shot up to the green and landed on the putting surface. Bridgeman rushed to the putting surface, but by then the damage had been done: Morikawa had been standing in the fairway over his ball for more than twenty minutes – facing a terrifying second shot and needing a birdie to win the golf tournament.
“I knew what I had to do,” Morikawa said later. “I think I walked all the way to the ocean at least ten times. I just had to keep moving. You know, it’s weird to say, but these long pauses. I mean, it’s not good for anyone to stand still.”
When the increasing wind at Pebble Beach sent Bridgeman’s ball snaking around the green, requiring a third intervention in the rules, fans at home could do little but laugh. Fortunately, Bridgeman eventually drilled his putt for an adventurous – and time consuming – boogeyman. Back on the fairway it was finally time for Morikawa.
As he calmed his nerves, Morikawa thought back to the dream. To the vision. To the conversation with Sessinghaus. To faith. He thought about what that vision sounded like.
“When I first came out and turned pro, like I didn’t care about making fair cuts or getting top 20, I came to win,” Morikawa said. “I wanted to come out and win, win the weekend, win the tournament.”
As the tournament rested on a suddenly long-awaited swing, he collected himself, breathed and shot, watching as his ball flew over the famous tree on Pebble Beach’s 18th fairway and landed safely on the edge of the green.
A simple up and down for birdie was secured. The tournament was won. Morikawa could do nothing but savor his first victory on American soil in five long years – ending the winning streak that had eclipsed his career for two and a half seasons with a victory on one of America’s most acclaimed golf courses.
“It’s hard to think that you’re still the same person, just a little wiser, a little more mature, but there’s a lot of hope and a bright future ahead,” Morikawa said. “I’m definitely going to enjoy this.”
As Morikawa enjoyed the fulfillment of that vision from the side of the 18th green, he couldn’t contain his emotion. His voice wavered.
“When I first turned pro, I was just looking too far ahead,” he said. “I think I’m going to change that perspective and just enjoy this. Hurry, we’re at Pebble Beach now, so I’m going to enjoy this.”
At least for a moment it seemed worth the wait.
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