PGA Tour star Collin Morikawa wants to help those suffering from the Maui, Hawai’i wildfires. He plans to use the FedEx Cup playoffs as a way to raise money for those in need.
Morikawa posted on social media Thursday, saying Maui was a special place for him. He also revealed that he’ll making a sizable donation for every birdie he makes during the playoffs.
“Maui has always held a special place in my heart – my grandfather owned a restaurant called The Morikawa Restaurant, on Front Street in Lahaina,” he wrote on Instagram.
“The people of Hawaii are going to need all the support that we can give them. During the course of the playoffs, I’m going to donate $1,000 for every birdie that I make.”
Morikawa sent out the post on Wednesday. In Thursday’s opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, he carded six birdies, equaling $6,000. He finished the first day at -5.
According to a report from the Associated Press, at least 36 people are dead as a result of the devastating wildfires. It’s the deadliest United States wildfire since 2018.
The PGA Tour’s website provided some background on Morikawa’s connection to Maui.
“Morikawa’s family emigrated to Maui from Japan, and his paternal grandparents were born and raised in Maui,” the site says. “His grandparents eventually relocated to California, where his parents met and he grew up, but Morikawa spent many summers in Maui.”
In the social media post, Morikawa also acknowledged that he has not yet identified a beneficiary for the funds.
“The recency of these events means we haven’t identified the best place for the funds to go yet but as the situation evolves, I’ll share the beneficiary to highlight the recovery work they’ll be doing and how you can also support,” he wrote.
The fires in Maui began Tuesday night.
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