Fresh off a brilliant third round at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Collin Morikawa chose honesty over celebration. Speaking to Amanda Balionis, he admitted he is often too hard on himself and sometimes pushes in the wrong direction, trying to dig himself out of that mindset.
Morikawa hasn’t won since the 2023 ZOZO Championship, and before that, his last major victory was The Open in 2021. He has also let a few chances slip away in recent years, including losing a five-shot lead to Viktor Hovland at the 2021 Hero World Challenge. This season hasn’t been smooth either, with a missed cut at the Sony Open and a T54 finish at the WM Phoenix Open. He also hasn’t recorded a top-10 finish since last June.
But Saturday at Pebble Beach felt different.
“I’m really, really happy about today.”
Collin Morikawa was all smiles talking about his third round with @Amanda_Balionis. pic.twitter.com/NFkJjQdvD5
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) February 14, 2026
Starting the round eight shots behind co-leaders Akshay Bhatia and Ryo Hisatsune, Morikawa fired 11 birdies to climb into a tie for second alongside Sepp Straka and Jake Knapp. He hit every green in regulation for the first time in his career and gained nearly nine strokes on approach, showing elite ball-striking form. His putter wasn’t heavily tested because his iron play left short opportunities.
To regain this level, Morikawa made equipment adjustments, adding more loft to his irons for better spin and control. He also worked closely with his longtime coach, Rick Sessinghaus, who reminded him that when he first turned pro, his focus was on winning — not just making cuts. That mindset shift helped him approach Saturday with the goal of winning the tournament, not just improving his position.
Now, Morikawa believes he can compete head-to-head with the best, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. He said he still sees himself as a competitor capable of beating anyone when he sets the right mindset at the start of the week.
With renewed confidence and momentum, Morikawa heads into the final round believing he has a real chance to prove it.