Collin Morikawa doesn’t feel like he owes anyone anything.
He said as much after skipping a press conference after being in a prime position to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month. He later doubled down on his controversial decision to avoid the media but also made sure to take aim at multiple golf broadcasters in the process.
Those within golf media made it no secret how they felt about Morikawa and his “entitlement.” But they didn’t exactly receive a ringing endorsement from Rory McIlroy on Tuesday, who gave his take on PGA Tour media access at his Masters press conference, essentially siding with Morikawa while defending the notion that no one in their profession is required to talk with reporters.
This whole debate has seemingly become a sore spot for Morikawa, mainly because he doesn’t believe he owes the media any more than his performance on the course.
Some critics have claimed that Morikawa seems frustrated by the entire conversation. The larger debate boils down to whether professional golfers are too sensitive or “soft” compared to athletes in other sports when it comes to handling criticism.
Does Morikawa think that’s a fair assessment?
“It’s an interesting way to put that question,” he says. “I’ll answer it in a few pieces. So, one, I was not upset by it. I think everyone took it in the wrong direction. Look, I said it in my second media thing. I could’ve 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. Like I said ‘Hi’ to her after, we hugged, and I went straight to the locker room.
“In that aspect … there needs to be a balance and an ebb and flow between everything. I do want to be here for you guys. But here’s the thing: I’ve been in the top five in the world before, and people don’t come up to me and ask me questions. You guys, you can’t just ask me [questions] when I’m playing well. Like, you guys should be asking the top 10 players every single week, every single day, and just document it. Then you get a sense of who we are, and you get a flow of how that comes to be.”
Morikawa’s stance seems inconsistent at best. He doesn’t want to be swarmed with questions only when he’s winning, yet his decision to skip media availability after falling short sparked this debate and subsequent criticism in the first place.
As he doubled and even tripled down, Morikawa acknowledged all those times when reporters didn’t ask him any questions.
“So, there’s a balance,” he says. “If you guys don’t want to ask me, it’s not my job to go out and tell you my story. Sometimes it is, but you do that through social media; you do that through playing well, winning tournaments. But not everyone’s like that. So, that’s why I don’t get this whole, you know. I stand by what I said.”
In crafting this confusing narrative, Morikawa seems to be saying that if the media wants his story, they’ll have to earn it. He’s not about handing out soundbites just because it’s expected. If he’s playing well, sure, he’ll give them something to talk about. But if not, he’s not about creating a narrative for anyone.
While some might see this as a problem — and they already have and do — for him, it’s just setting boundaries.