Things looking golden for Morikawa at California

Collin Morikawa knew there would be a lot of work ahead of him following a decorated four-year run on the La Cañada High boys’ golf team.

Morikawa accomplished plenty with the Spartans from 2012-15, including winning four straight Rio Hondo League individual championships and helping them win four league titles to further cement the program’s legacy.

Now Morikawa is looking to achieve success while playing for the University of California men’s golf team.

He enjoyed a superb freshman season with the Bears, which included being named the Pacific Athletic Conference-12 Freshman Men’s Golfer of the Year and earning all-conference first-team honors after spurring California to tie for 10th at the NCAA Division I Championships.

“It’s all about it being a learning process and trying to find ways to improve your overall game,” said the 19-year-old Morikawa, who finished with a 71.20 stroke average in 44 rounds of stroke play. “The one thing you see at the collegiate level is that everybody can play and the PAC-12 is one of the strongest conferences in the entire country. I played in some amateur tournaments last year to help me get ready for college.

“You try to find ways to be able to create new goals and I did that coming into the season. You also try to help the team anyway you can and we have some very good golfers. I had a lot of good rounds to put me in a position to succeed. I had a goal coming in to be the conference’s freshman of the year. You still have to go out there and prove yourself each round.”

Morikawa, who was bestowed with Division I PING All-West Region and co-team most valuable player recognition, has been busy since California concluded its season.

Morikawa attempted to qualify for the 116th United States Open in June. He advanced to the 36-hole sectional qualifying round at Lake Merced Golf Club and the Olympic Club in Daly City on June 6. Morikawa’s attempt to qualify for the championship for the first time came up short after he finished with an even-par 143.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t play my best,” said Morikawa, who is fourth in the world in the latest Golfweek Amateurgolf.com player rankings. “I did well in the local qualifier in Sacramento and then I go and shoot two-round even at the sectional event.

“I’m disappointed because I felt like I could have done more, like making some more putts. It’s a great experience, though.”

Morikawa didn’t let the finish at the qualifier distract him.

He then participated in the Sunnehanna Amateur, which was held June 15-18 at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pa. Morikawa took the field by storm, carding an eight-under-par 62 in the final round to win the event by three strokes over Cal teammate KK Limbhasut and Garrett Rank.

“I came in feeling good about myself and I just needed to stay patient,” said Morikawa, who finished the tournament at 11-under-199. “I did a good job at minimizing my mistakes for the most part and things came together nicely all-around. It’s something I needed.”

Reeling in the momentum, Morikawa headed to Crestview County Club in Wichita, Kan. to compete in the Air Capital Classic.

Morikawa finished in a three-way tie for first with Ollie Schniederjans and J.J. Spaun at 17-under-263 following 54 holes. Morikawa saw his bid to win the event fall short in a playoff in the second hole after he made par. Schniederjans won the event with a 10-foot birdie.

“It’s another great few rounds that I had,” said Morikawa, who made about a 27-foot putt on the 18th hole to send him to the playoff. “It’s just another experience I can learn from playing alongside some great people. It was amazing to make that put on 18.”

Limbhasut, who will be a junior in the fall, said Morikawa has provided the Bears with a spark.

“We’ve grown up playing golf since high school and we’ve played in a lot of junior tournaments through the years,” said Limbhasut, who secured all-conference first-team accolades. “He came in and helped out the team a lot.

“His ball-striking skills are very consistent and he’s capable of shooting a low round at any given time. He’s so tough mentally and you know there are a lot of good things to come for Collin.”

California golf Coach Steve Desimore, who retired after this season after taking over the program in 1979, said Morikawa improved with each round.

Desimore, who piloted California to the NCAA championship in 2004, believes Morikawa will be a huge building block for the Bears.

“He’s taking off,” Desimore said. “We knew a lot about Collin as a player when he got here and we knew that he had tremendous potential.

“He’s an outstanding player and a coach’s dream. He came here and he was very team-oriented. He’s got that great ability to know how to control the ball via his long and short games and he’s proven that with us and then in the tournaments he’s been playing throughout the summer. Collin knows there still a lot of work ahead of him, but I believe he will be a huge part of the program for the next several years.”

In the meantime, Morikawa will attempt to continue gaining steam on courses across the state and country.

“I’m very thankful for where I am right now and I’m surrounded with quality teammates,” Morikawa said. “I’m playing some of my best golf right now, but I can’t be satisfied.”