Morikawa's Triumphant Return at the 2023 ZOZO Championship
Collin Morikawa has once again proven his mettle on the golf course with a spectacular victory at the 2023 ZOZO Championship. This win marks a significant milestone for Morikawa, as it is his first PGA Tour triumph in two years, since his last tour win at the 2021 Open Championship. The tournament, which boasted an impressive $8.5 million purse, witnessed Morikawa securing a winner's share of $1,530,000.
The event spanned four days, from October 19 to October 22, and featured some of the most notable names in golf, including Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler. However, it was Morikawa who stole the show with a commanding performance, finishing at 14-under par and establishing a six-shot lead over the runners-up, a testament to his skill and composure under pressure.
Runners-Up and Noteworthy Performances
Eric Cole and Beau Hossler admirably tied for second place, each carding 8-under par, which earned them a substantial $748,000 apiece. Hot on their heels were Ryo Ishikawa and Robby Shelton, who shared fourth place at 7-under, pocketing $374,000 each for their efforts.
A quartet of players—Kensei Hirata, Ryo Hisatsune, Min Woo Lee, and J.J. Spaun—tied for sixth place at 6-under. Their performances were rewarded with equal shares of prize money, amounting to $275,187.50 each. Further down the leaderboard, Emiliano Grillo and Justin Suh tied for tenth place at 5-under, each earning $221,000.
Cam Davis, Sungjae Im, and Satoshi Kodaira found themselves in a three-way tie for twelfth place at 4-under, with each taking home $178,500. Matt NeSmith rounded out the top fifteen with a finish at 3-under par, earning himself $151,640.
Additional Player Earnings
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 were not far behind, tying for nineteenth place at 1-under, and receiving $112,710 each.
Players who finished the tournament at even-par were tied for twenty-first place, taking home $73,610 each. As scores rose above par, earnings adjusted accordingly, with those tied for thirty-first place at 1-over par receiving around $46,167 each, and ties for thirty-eighth at 2-over par earning $36,210 each.
Participants who ended up in the forty-first place tie at 3-over par were awarded $27,710 each. A score of 4-over led to a tie for forty-eighth place, with those golfers earning $20,230 each. Golfers tied for fifty-first place at 5-over par received $17,743.75 each, while those tied for fifty-ninth at 6-over par took home $16,490 each.
Even further down the board, players tied for sixty-fourth place at 7-over par secured $15,725 each, and those tied for sixty-eighth at 8-over par earned $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 per player.
Tyson Alexander, who placed seventy-sixth at 11-over par, earned $13,940, and Ben Taylor, who finished seventy-seventh at 20-over par, secured $13,770. It is noteworthy that all participants received prize money, as there was no cut in the tournament—a policy that supports competitiveness and inclusivity in the sport.
Conclusion
Collin Morikawa's victory at the ZOZO Championship is more than just another win; it is a reaffirmation of his status as one of the leading figures in golf. His return to the winner's circle reinforces the notion that he remains a formidable competitor on the PGA Tour. The payout structure of the tournament, ensuring that all players are compensated for their participation, reflects the inclusive spirit of the sport and encourages players to strive for excellence. With this win, Morikawa has undoubtedly reasserted his presence in top-level golf, and the sports