Collin Morikawa Calls THE PLAYERS Venue a 'Weird Golf Course' Ahead of Tee Time

The 29-year-old observed that no single practice range shot can prepare a player for the course’s layout, designed by Pete Dye.

“There is not one chip shot that you can go to,” Morikawa said when asked about the challenges presented by the specific types of lies that can be found around the greens.

He reiterated that players must adjust during the week to how the winds are blowing and how thick the rough is, as it often requires them to play from the fairway to maneuver around the obstacles.

However, that doesn’t mean Morikawa is nervous about competing. “I love it. I think it’s a ball-striking golf course,” he said during the press conference.

Collin Morikawa Is Chasing a Career Milestone

Morikawa ranks winning THE PLAYERS Championship among his top career objectives, stating that tournaments of this caliber have “very, very high” prestige for hopeful winners.

“I want to finish off my career in a way that I can look back and say I won THE PLAYERS Championship,” noted the American star on his professional goals.

His T10 finish last year was his first top-10 result at the demanding Florida course.

As Morikawa observed, although the golfers at junior and collegiate levels aspire to the four majors, the glory of winning at TPC Sawgrass is an aspect that no player looks down upon.

Despite the normally “light” feel of the first day of a tournament, Morikawa assured that it will shift as the players take to the “grind” for a trophy starting Thursday.

His eye, along with everyone else’s, will firmly remain set on TPC Sawgrass from the 12th to the 15th of March as he attempts to win the coveted trophy.