Collin Morikawa is going through some tough times out on the golf course right now.
Morikawa injured his back after playing just one hole of The Players Championship last month, and he has never fully recovered.
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The 29-year-old did exceptionally well at The Masters last week, finishing inside the top 10 despite fear of his back giving way on him again.
Morikawa limped around Augusta National, picking his ball out of every hole in a gingerly manner and not once fully committing to a golf swing.
Before his back injury, Morikawa was one of the favorites to win The Masters.
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
The injury he sustained came at such an unfortunate time and he’s clearly still struggling to get over it now.
Collin Morikawa is ‘very scared’ on the golf course for the first time
Morikawa addressed the media on Thursday evening, after his opening round 67 at the RBC Heritage.
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He responded when asked how he is feeling about his back issue right now.
“I’m still swinging at whatever the idea, 50 percent is,“ the 29-year-old admitted.
“The body is probably slightly better than that. It’s hard to trust the body right now.
“It’s a very uncomfortable feeling. I had never experienced anything like it until about a month ago. There’s just no trust, and that’s the hardest thing, to say go fire at the shot when you’re trying to play in a tournament because essentially for me I’m trying to last throughout the entire week.
“I’m going to have to be in a little bit more of a comfortable at-home setting to test how far I can get to. But we’ll do that after this week.“
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Morikawa was then asked what the prognosis is.
“What ended up happening, I think — like I’m not in pain. I know it looked painful, but I’m just very scared, and I’ve never been this scared in my life to go out and play,“ the two-time major winner admitted.
Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
“But I think it’s because it happened on the golf course. I’ve never had any back stuff happen on the golf course. Every time in the gym. Then I’d go out and swing, I’m just saying, do I feel good enough to swing.
I’ve just been so timid and so shy in a way because the buildup was going okay, kind of had a minor setback, and then at the end of the day it was like, I need to tee it up at the Masters.
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“There was a point where it was like, okay, let’s stop pushing to see how far we can get and let’s see what I can just work with. I’ve had back issues over the past three years. We’ve seen it. I’ve just got to find a way to kind of protect it a little bit more.“
Collin Morikawa says how long he thinks his problem will last
The two-time major champion was asked by reporters how long he foresees his current issue continuing for.
“I don’t know. I don’t know,“ Morikawa said.
“I think it’s going to take a little bit more time at home to push the limits. I feel like I’m swinging a little bit better in the motion, at least, but I wouldn’t say I’m putting more effort into it because, like I said, I need to be at home to say, okay, let’s turn up the gears.
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“If I do feel a little uncomfortable, at least I’m home, I’m not trying to play a tournament where I essentially need to make it 72 holes.“
Morikawa’s current problem appears to be more mental than physical.
He needs to get over whatever the issue is as soon as possible, if he is to win again on the PGA Tour anytime soon.
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