Under Heavy Fire From Golf Media, Collin Morikawa’s Heartwarming Actions at PGA Tour Team Event Wins Hearts

Collin Morikawa and the media do not get along. The whole ruckus started after the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where the current world No. 4 let slip a crucial lead, allowing Russell Henley to claim the title. Still carrying the burden of the loss, Morikawa decided to skip the post-event interviews, raising loud alarm bells in the golf media community. Brandel Chamblee heavily criticized Morikawa, who quickly responded with, “I don’t regret anything I said. You know, it might have been a little bit harsh that I don’t owe anyone, but I don’t owe anyone.”

Morikawa had a few more things to add regarding the situation he was in. “Look, I said it in my second media thing. I could have said it differently. But I stand by what I said. I was in the moment. We talk about giving people space to be who they are, and at that time, it was for me to be who I was, and I didn’t want to be around anyone. I didn’t even want to be around my wife. I said hi to her after, we hugged, and I just went straight to the locker room,”  Morikawa later clarified himself. Now, whether the media hates Morikawa or loves him, he clearly does not seem to worry about it. His fans certainly do so, though.

So, what happened is, recently, Morikawa showed his wholesome nature in an interaction with a fan before the 2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The American golfer met with Abby Hui, a young golf fan, who he regularly meets whenever he visits Louisiana. He had first met the youngster in 2022 and then again in 2023. In fact, Hui had caddied for Morikawa during a practice round in 2023. The duo participated in a quick trivia round about New Orleans and the competition, which Morikawa managed to win, courtesy of a quick answer in a tie-breaker.

Abby Hui, herself, was very happy about meeting Collin Morikawa again, and despite losing the trivia round, she has found herself enjoying the time she spent with him. “Omg, I love this! I had so much fun even though I did horribly, lol.” She replied to the Instagram post.

Despite Morikawa’s tied relationship with the media, this wholesome moment was well-received by fans who took to Instagram to comment their support.

Collin Morikawa endears himself to the golfing world

The American golfer’s TGL team, the Los Angeles Golf Club, also extended its appreciation. Morikawa helped the side claim the first seed of the TGL regular season and helped them reach the semifinals, where they unfortunately lost to the fourth-seeded New York Golf Club. The team’s official Instagram page commented, “We love this.”

The trivia round was brilliant. The neck-and-neck battle saw some crazy answers, with the game tied at the end of regular play. Then, it was down to a tie-breaker between Hui and Morikawa, wherein they had to answer a question, and the fastest to do so won. Collin did not hesitate and duly answered before a second lapsed. “Collin didn’t even entertain for ONE SECOND letting her win, and that’s why I love him.”  One user who loved the competitive nature of Morikawa stated.

The final question was a simple one. “Name a golfer.” While Hui did not even start comprehending the question, Morikawa quickly shouted his own name to claim the bragging rights. What an exciting way to win a contest! One fan certainly thinks so, commenting, “Collin naming himself lol I love it.” Another fan also shared some love about the moment where he reunites with Abby Hui, stating, “We love a good reuniting moment.”

Not just Morikawa, but recently, many other pros have talked about the media giving space to the golfers. At the Masters, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry expressed their stern thoughts. Anyways, with all the good vibes coming his way, Morikawa should feel very motivated. Can he use this motivation as fuel and claim a much-needed victory at the Zurich Classic?