A Triumphant Return for Morikawa at the 2023 ZOZO Championship
In a stunning display of skill and composure, Collin Morikawa claimed victory at the 2023 ZOZO Championship, marking his first PGA Tour win since his triumph at the 2021 Open Championship. The tournament, which boasted an $8.5 million purse, saw Morikawa secure a winner's share of $1,530,000. His performance throughout the event, which ran from October 19 to October 22, was nothing short of exemplary.
Commanding Lead Seals the Deal
Morikawa finished at 14-under par, demonstrating a level of play that left him with a comfortable six-shot lead over his nearest competitors. This impressive margin underscored his dominance during the four-day event. Notable participants such as Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler were part of the field, adding prestige to Morikawa's victory.
Runners-Up and Top Finishers
The battle for second place was a tie between Eric Cole and Beau Hossler, who both ended the tournament at 8-under each, earning $748,000 apiece. Close behind them, Ryo Ishikawa and Robby Shelton shared fourth place, finishing at 7-under and each taking home $374,000.
There was also a four-way tie for sixth place, with Kensei Hirata, Ryo Hisatsune, Min Woo Lee, and J.J. Spaun all concluding the championship at 6-under. Their performances were rewarded with equal prize money of $275,187.50 each.
Emiliano Grillo and Justin Suh found themselves knotted at tenth place, each carding a 5-under par and earning $221,000 for their efforts. A three-way tie for twelfth place included Cam Davis, Sungjae Im, and Satoshi Kodaira, all of whom finished at 4-under and received $178,500 each.
Noteworthy Finishes and Payouts
Matt NeSmith wrapped up the event in fifteenth place at 3-under par, securing earnings of $151,640. Meanwhile, Yuki Inamori, Kurt Kitayama, and Taylor Montgomery ended in a three-way tie for sixteenth place at 2-under, each pocketing $133,960.
Keegan Bradley and Sahith Theegala tied for nineteenth place with a score of 1-under, each earning $112,710. The players who tied for twenty-first place, scoring even-par, received $73,610 each, while those tied for thirty-first place at 1-over par took home around $46,167.
Further down the leaderboard, golfers tied for thirty-eighth place at 2-over par earned $36,210 each. The forty-first place tie at 3-over saw players earn $27,710 each, and a score of 4-over led to a tie for forty-eighth place, with golfers earning $20,230 each.
Those tied for fifty-first place at 5-over par received $17,743.75 each, and players tied for fifty-ninth place at 6-over par earned $16,490 each. Golfers tied for sixty-fourth at 7-over par took home $15,725 each, while those tied for sixty-eighth at 8-over par secured $15,045 each.
Hayden Buckley, who placed seventy-second at 9-over par, was awarded $14,620. The tie for seventy-third place at 10-over par resulted in earnings of $14,280 for each player involved. Tyson Alexander, who placed seventy-sixth at 11-over par, earned $13,940. Ben Taylor, despite finishing seventy-seventh at 20-over par, secured $13,770.
An Inclusive Tournament Structure
The ZOZO Championship is unique in that all participants receive prize money due to the absence of a cut in the tournament. This inclusive payout structure not only ensures that every player is compensated for their participation but also fosters competitiveness within the sport.
Morikawa's victory is particularly noteworthy as it signals his return to the top echelons of professional golf. After a two-year hiatus from the winner's circle on the PGA Tour, his performance at the ZOZO Championship has once again highlighted his prowess on the golf course and reaffirmed his status as one of the game's elite players.
The success of this event and Morikawa's remarkable comeback story add another exciting chapter to the history of golf