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What's Next For Collin Morikawa After Rough Weekend at the Ryder Cup?
Collin Morikawa Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Team USA rallied to get close on the final day of the 45th Ryder Cup before the Europeans clinched a 15-13 victory when England’s Tyrell Hatton tied Cal grad Collin Morikawa in the 10th singles match Sunday.

It was rough weekend for Morikawa, who lost both of his foursomes matches on Friday and Saturday at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, NY, and couldn’t get over the top when it mattered on the final day.

The Europeans defended their title from two years ago in Rome and became the first visiting team since 2012 to capture golf’s most important international team event.

Team USA trailed 11.5 to 4.5 through the first two days and to prevail needed to score 10 points during 12 singles matches on Sunday 

The Americans won six matches to to make things interesting. Even world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who had lost all four of his foursome and four-ball matches, scored a 1 up victory over second-ranked Rory McIlroy.

Ludvig Aberg, who beat American Patrick Cantlay 2 and 1, was the only European to win on Sunday. But five matches wound up as ties, meaning the point was halved. That got the Europeans over the top.

Morikawa, 28, has struggled the past two seasons after winning six PGA Tour events, including two majors, earlier in his career. 

Last month, after shooting a first-round 64 at the Tour Championship then finishing in a tie for 19th place, Morikawa told reporters he understood he needed to continue tweaking his game to get back on course.

Asked to describe his week at the Tour Championship, he said, “Same as the year. There was some good, some bad, some surviving. That’s kind of how the year’s been. 

“I just have to make changes. As much as I don’t want to change I have to change because these are frustrating years where I feel like I came into it with a positive attitude. I look back at it and say, `Man, what could I have done better.’ That’s just who I am. It’s a little unfortunate to finish out the year like this.”

He had hoped that the team atmosphere at the Ryder Cup, where he had played well in two previous appearances, might get him back on track. 

But he and teammate Harris English lost decisively in their foursome matches Friday and Saturday and Morikawa wasn’t put in the lineup for the afternoon four-ball events.

He led Hatton 3-2 after 11 holes in their singles match on Sunday before Hatton won the 12th hole and neither could regain the lead thereafter. By halving the point, the Europeans reached 14.5 points, which was what they needed to claim the title outright.

This article first appeared on Cal Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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