Morikawa Triumphs at the ZOZO Championship
In a stunning return to form, Collin Morikawa clinched the 2023 ZOZO Championship, marking his first PGA Tour victory in two years. With an impressive 14-under par, Morikawa secured a six-shot lead over his closest competitors, signaling a resurgent mastery that fans and analysts have eagerly anticipated since his last tour win at the 2021 Open Championship.
A Lucrative Purse
The ZOZO Championship, known for its generous payouts, boasted an $8.5 million purse this year. Morikawa's outstanding performance earned him a winner's share of $1,530,000. The tournament, which ran from October 19 to October 22, featured no cut, ensuring that each participant walked away with a slice of the prize money, a move that promotes both competitiveness and inclusivity within the sport.
Notable Performances
Among the high-profile golfers who graced the greens alongside Morikawa were Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler, both of whom delivered noteworthy performances. However, it was Eric Cole and Beau Hossler who emerged as runners-up, tying for second place with 8-under each and pocketing $748,000 apiece for their efforts.
Sharing fourth place at 7-under were Ryo Ishikawa and Robby Shelton, each earning $374,000. The competition remained tight as Kensei Hirata, Ryo Hisatsune, Min Woo Lee, and J.J. Spaun all tied for sixth place with scores of 6-under, taking home $275,187.50 each.
Further down the leaderboard, Emiliano Grillo and Justin Suh tied for tenth place at 5-under, each securing $221,000. A three-way tie for twelfth place saw Cam Davis, Sungjae Im, and Satoshi Kodaira finishing at 4-under, with individual earnings of $178,500.
Mid-Leaderboard Finishes
Matt NeSmith claimed fifteenth place at 3-under par, earning $151,640, while Yuki Inamori, Kurt Kitayama, and Taylor Montgomery shared sixteenth place at 2-under, each pocketing $133,960. Keegan Bradley and Sahith Theegala tied for nineteenth place with scores of 1-under, walking away with $112,710 each.
Players who finished the course at even-par tied for twenty-first place and received $73,610 each. Those who scored 1-over par found themselves in a tie for thirty-first place, with earnings around $46,167, and a tie for thirty-eighth place at 2-over par resulted in $36,210 for each player involved.
Concluding the Leaderboard
As the scores increased, so did the ties, with a group at 3-over sharing forty-first place and earnings of $27,710 each. Golfers tied for forty-eighth at 4-over took home $20,230 apiece, while those tied for fifty-first at 5-over received $17,743.75 each. Players tied for fifty-ninth place at 6-over par earned $16,490, and a tie for sixty-fourth place at 7-over par led to payouts of $15,725 each.
Those who finished at 8-over par were tied for sixty-eighth place, earning $15,045 each. Hayden Buckley, who placed seventy-second at 9-over par, was awarded $14,620. The tie for seventy-third place at 10-over par resulted in earnings of $14,280 for each player, while Tyson Alexander, who placed seventy-sixth at 11-over par, earned $13,940. Ben Taylor rounded out the field, finishing seventy-seventh at 20-over par and securing $13,770.
Morikawa's Return to Form
Collin Morikawa's victory at the ZOZO Championship is not just a personal triumph but a testament to his resilience and skill. After a two-year hiatus from the winner's circle, his dominant performance has reestablished him as one of the premier talents in the game. With all participants receiving prize money, the ZOZO Championship continues to champion a spirit of inclusivity, rewarding the dedication and hard work of every golfer who tees off. Morikawa's win here is more than just a return to top-level golf; it's a reminder of the relentless pursuit of excellence that defines the sport.