A Triumphant Return for Morikawa at the 2023 ZOZO Championship
After a two-year hiatus from the winner's circle, Collin Morikawa reasserted his status as one of golf's premier talents with a commanding victory at the 2023 ZOZO Championship. The young American's performance was a masterclass in precision and poise, culminating in a six-shot triumph that reminded spectators and competitors alike of his prodigious abilities.
First PGA Tour Win Since The Open Championship
The significance of this win cannot be overstated for Morikawa, whose last tour victory came at the 2021 Open Championship. His return to form at the ZOZO Championship, which boasted an $8.5 million purse, was marked by a final score of 14-under par, securing him a winner's share of $1,530,000. The event, which ran from October 19 to October 22, featured a strong field including notable names such as Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler.
No Cut Ensures Prize Money for All
In a unique twist for PGA Tour events, the ZOZO Championship operated without a cut, guaranteeing all participants a share of the prize money. This format promotes inclusivity and ensures that every golfer who tees off is compensated for their participation, supporting competitiveness across the board.
Runners-up and Top Finishers
Eric Cole and Beau Hossler found themselves tied for second place, each finishing the tournament at 8-under par and earning $748,000 for their efforts. Close behind them, Ryo Ishikawa and Robby Shelton shared fourth place with scores of 7-under par, taking home $374,000 apiece.
The battle for sixth place saw a four-way tie between Kensei Hirata, Ryo Hisatsune, Min Woo Lee, and J.J. Spaun, all of whom finished at 6-under and received $275,187.50 each. Emiliano Grillo and Justin Suh, meanwhile, ended the tournament tied for tenth place at 5-under par, with earnings of $221,000 each.
Further down the leaderboard, Cam Davis, Sungjae Im, and Satoshi Kodaira were knotted up for twelfth place at 4-under, each pocketing $178,500. Matt NeSmith claimed fifteenth place at 3-under par, earning himself $151,640.
Midfield and Lower Order Finishes
The competition remained fierce throughout the field, with Yuki Inamori, Kurt Kitayama, and Taylor Montgomery tying for sixteenth place at 2-under, each earning $133,960. Keegan Bradley and Sahith Theegala ended the event at 1-under par, tied for nineteenth place, and walked away with $112,710 each.
Players who finished the tournament at even-par were grouped in twenty-first place, receiving $73,610 each. Those who tied for thirty-first place at 1-over par had earnings around $46,167, while a score of 2-over par led to a tie for thirty-eighth place, with those golfers earning $36,210 each.
As the over-par scores increased, so did the number of players sharing those positions. Ties at 3-over placed golfers in forty-first place, each taking home $27,710. A 4-over score resulted in a tie for forty-eighth place, with earnings of $20,230 each. Golfers scoring 5-over par tied for fifty-first place, receiving $17,743.75 each.
The sixty-fourth place tie at 7-over par saw golfers earning $15,725 each, and those tied for sixty-eighth at 8-over par took home $15,045 each. Hayden Buckley, who placed seventy-second at 9-over par, was awarded $14,620. The seventy-third place tie at 10-over par resulted in earnings of $14,280 for each player involved.
Concluding the Leaderboard
Tyson Alexander's 11-over par performance placed him at seventy-sixth, earning him $13,940, while Ben Taylor rounded out the field in seventy-seventh place at 20-over par, securing $13,770.
Morikawa's Victory: A Sign of Things to Come?
With the conclusion of the 2023 ZOZO Championship, Collin Morikawa's emphatic victory not only marks a significant personal milestone but also signals a potential resurgence for the