After many pundits and players weighed in, Collin Morikawa continues to stand his ground about ditching the media.
Last week, Collin Morikawa dashed out of Bay Hill and avoided the media after coughing up a three-shot lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Two days later, in his pre-tournament press conference at The Players Championship, Morikawa explained why he did so, saying that he “does not owe anyone anything.”
That led many former players, such as Rocco Mediate, Brandel Chamblee, and Paul McGinely, to weigh in on his decision. They all criticized the two-time major winner for not facing the music and explaining his perspective on what happened. Mediate called his move and subsequent response “horse sh*t,” while Chamblee and McGinley explained that the media serves as conduit to the fans. Chamblee and McGinley then illustrated how everyone, from those in sport, business, and in life overall, endure losing and heartbreak more often than winning. Every day people can resonate with those who fall short much more than those who have climbed the mountain top.
And yet, after his 7-under 65 at The Players on Friday, Morikawa doubled down on why he skipped out on the press.
“I might bite my tongue after saying this, but to the Brandel Chamblees, to the Paul McGinleys, to the Rocco Mediates of the world, I don’t regret anything I said,” Morikawa said.
“It might have been a little bit harsh that I don’t owe anyone, but I don’t owe anyone. I respect the fans. I’m very thankful for them. I’m grateful. It makes me emotional, but it’s just — it hurts to hear people say this, and especially you guys, because I finished the round and I went to sign [autographs] for 10 minutes, 15 minutes for all the people after. Not a single person from the media went to follow me because, I don’t know. But that’s me.
“So for people to be calling me out is — it’s interesting. It just, it doesn’t show anything. I mean, look, I get what you guys are saying. But I was there. I was signing for every single person right after the round, whether they wanted it or not. I finished second. They could care less. But yeah, I’m going to leave it at that, all right? So thank you guys.”
Most top players, like Morikawa, make millions of dollars, but the cost of being a pro golfer is that you have an obligation to speak to the fans through the media. People idolize these players and can learn a lot from their trials and tribulations. Perhaps they can invoke their perspective and how they handle adversity into their own daily lives, a point Chamblee emphasized on Golf Channel earlier in the week.
Yet Morikawa feels differently, and continues to dig his heels in and stand his ground.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
