Collin Morikawa savoured his first major title after shooting a final round 64 at Harding Park to claim victory at the PGA Championship, and the 23-year-old American says he is just getting started.
Despite appearing in just his second major, Morikawa, who began playing the game at five-years-old in California, said he felt it was his destiny to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.
"When I woke up today, I was like, this is meant to be," he said.
"It doesn't stop here. I've got a very good taste of what this is like."
The only thing missing from Sunday's win was the fans, said Morikawa. Spectators were not allowed on the course in west San Francisco due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I really do miss the fans. I know we all had to have some type of adjustment not having fans," he said.
They were especially missed when he hit the drive of his life on the 294-yard par-four 16th as he was unable to see where the ball landed because a tree was obscuring his view.
It settled seven feet from the cup, leaving him with a putt for eagle that he would sink to set up victory.
"This is the one time I really wish there were crowds right there," he said of the drive.
Morikawa, who now has three wins on his resume, said he wanted to be consistently in the hunt for titles, not just at the biggest events.
"The majors are going to be circled, just like everyone else, but I've got to focus on every single week," he said.
"I'm not trying to come out and just win the majors."
With the win, Morikawa joined Rory McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in winning the PGA Championship before turning 24.
"It's great company," he said.
"You know, it's been crazy, because this entire start of my professional career, I see all the things comparing (me) to Tiger and ... Tiger is on a completely different level. I think we all know that.
"But any time you're in the conversation of the greats, Jack, Rory, Tiger, no matter who it is, if you're in that conversation, you're doing something well."
Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson achieved a feat only previously accomplished by Jack Nicklaus on Sunday but unfortunately for his hopes of landing a second major title, it was finishing runner-up at the PGA Championship for two successive years.
The 36-year-old American led by a stroke going into the final round but ended up needing a birdie at the last to share second place with Paul Casey two shots behind champion Collin Morikawa.
Johnson, whose sole major title came at the 2016 U.S. Open, declined to talk to the media after signing for a final-round two-under-par 68, which earned him second place at one of golf's big four tournaments for the fifth time.
He also fell to 0-4 for major tournaments where he held at least a share of the lead after 54 holes, statistics which will do nothing to dispel speculation that Johnson is destined to end up as a "one-major wonder".
Double defending champion Brooks Koepka aside, no one within two strokes of Johnson at the start of the day had won a major so when he kicked off with a birdie at the first, it looked like it might finally be his day.
A bogey at the third was cancelled out by another birdie at the fourth and he reached the halfway point in a three-way tie for the lead with Casey and Morikawa.
His putts were not sticking, however, and a bogey at the 14th just as his rivals were starting to charge effectively put paid to his hopes of the title.
Koepka had alluded to his friend having won "only" one major after the third round on Saturday, drawing a stinging rebuke from Rory McIlroy that might give Johnson some solace.
"If you've won a major championship, you're a hell of a player," the Irishman said.
"Doesn't mean you've only won one: You've won one, and you've had to do a lot of good things to do that. I mean, sort of hard to knock a guy who's got 21 wins on the PGA Tour, which is three times what Brooks has."
- Reuters
Collin Morikawa savours first major and says he's ready for more
Image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Collin Morikawa savoured his first major title after shooting a final round 64 at Harding Park to claim victory at the PGA Championship, and the 23-year-old American says he is just getting started.
Despite appearing in just his second major, Morikawa, who began playing the game at five-years-old in California, said he felt it was his destiny to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday.
"When I woke up today, I was like, this is meant to be," he said.
"It doesn't stop here. I've got a very good taste of what this is like."
The only thing missing from Sunday's win was the fans, said Morikawa. Spectators were not allowed on the course in west San Francisco due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I really do miss the fans. I know we all had to have some type of adjustment not having fans," he said.
They were especially missed when he hit the drive of his life on the 294-yard par-four 16th as he was unable to see where the ball landed because a tree was obscuring his view.
It settled seven feet from the cup, leaving him with a putt for eagle that he would sink to set up victory.
"This is the one time I really wish there were crowds right there," he said of the drive.
Morikawa, who now has three wins on his resume, said he wanted to be consistently in the hunt for titles, not just at the biggest events.
"The majors are going to be circled, just like everyone else, but I've got to focus on every single week," he said.
"I'm not trying to come out and just win the majors."
With the win, Morikawa joined Rory McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in winning the PGA Championship before turning 24.
"It's great company," he said.
"You know, it's been crazy, because this entire start of my professional career, I see all the things comparing (me) to Tiger and ... Tiger is on a completely different level. I think we all know that.
"But any time you're in the conversation of the greats, Jack, Rory, Tiger, no matter who it is, if you're in that conversation, you're doing something well."
Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson achieved a feat only previously accomplished by Jack Nicklaus on Sunday but unfortunately for his hopes of landing a second major title, it was finishing runner-up at the PGA Championship for two successive years.
The 36-year-old American led by a stroke going into the final round but ended up needing a birdie at the last to share second place with Paul Casey two shots behind champion Collin Morikawa.
Johnson, whose sole major title came at the 2016 U.S. Open, declined to talk to the media after signing for a final-round two-under-par 68, which earned him second place at one of golf's big four tournaments for the fifth time.
He also fell to 0-4 for major tournaments where he held at least a share of the lead after 54 holes, statistics which will do nothing to dispel speculation that Johnson is destined to end up as a "one-major wonder".
Double defending champion Brooks Koepka aside, no one within two strokes of Johnson at the start of the day had won a major so when he kicked off with a birdie at the first, it looked like it might finally be his day.
A bogey at the third was cancelled out by another birdie at the fourth and he reached the halfway point in a three-way tie for the lead with Casey and Morikawa.
His putts were not sticking, however, and a bogey at the 14th just as his rivals were starting to charge effectively put paid to his hopes of the title.
Koepka had alluded to his friend having won "only" one major after the third round on Saturday, drawing a stinging rebuke from Rory McIlroy that might give Johnson some solace.
"If you've won a major championship, you're a hell of a player," the Irishman said.
"Doesn't mean you've only won one: You've won one, and you've had to do a lot of good things to do that. I mean, sort of hard to knock a guy who's got 21 wins on the PGA Tour, which is three times what Brooks has."
- Reuters
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