A two-time major champion (2020 PGA Championship, 2021 Open) and the first American to win the Race to Dubai, Collin Morikawa reveals his fade, his control of the clubface with irons, and his wedges.
Collin Morikawa He is one of the best iron players of his generation: two major tournament wins before age 25, seven victories on the PGA Tour, and the 2021 Race to Dubai. His favorite shot, the fade, is at the heart of his lessons. Here is his biography, his list of achievements, and summaries of his video lessons.
Who is Collin Morikawa?
Collin Morikawa is an American golfer born on February 6, 1997, in Los Angeles. From 2015 to 2019, he played for the University of California, Berkeley, from which he graduated with a degree in business administration. As an amateur, he was ranked No. 1 in the world in 2018 and won the 2017 Walker Cup with the United States.
He turned pro in 2019 and won the Barracuda Championship in July. He began his PGA Tour career by making 22 consecutive cuts, a streak that only Tiger Woods has surpassed. In August 2020, he won the PGA Championship, followed by the Open Championship in July 2021: he is the first player to win two different majors on his first attempt at each.
That same year, he won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai and became the first American to win the Race to Dubai. He reached No. 2 in the world rankings in October 2021. He competed in three Ryder Cups (2021, 2023, 2025), including the U.S. victory in 2021 at Whistling Straits, and three Presidents Cups, all of which were won by the United States (2022, 2024, 2026).
In February 2026, he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a birdie on the 18th hole, one stroke ahead of Min Woo Lee and Sepp Straka—his seventh victory on the PGA Tour. In November 2026, he was ranked 11th in the world.
Collin Morikawa's Career Highlights
| Tournament or Record | Result |
|---|---|
| Major Tournaments | 2: 2020 PGA Championship, 2021 Open Championship |
| PGA Tour Victories | 7: 2019 Barracuda, 2020 Workday Charity Open, 2020 PGA Championship, 2021 WGC-Workday, 2021 Open, 2023 Zozo Championship, 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am |
| Race to Dubai (European Tour) | 2021 champion, first American |
| DP World Tour Championship | 2021 Champion |
| Highest world ranking | 2nd (2021) |
| Ryder Cup | 3 appearances (2021, 2023, 2025), winner in 2021 |
| Presidents Cup | 3 appearances, 3 wins (2022, 2024, 2026) |
| Amateur | World No. 1 (2018), 2017 Walker Cup |
Collin Morikawa's Swing: Key Points
Collin Morikawa has worked with Rick Sessinghaus, a doctor of sports psychology, since he was 8, and has also consulted Mark Blackburn. He is one of the best iron players of his generation, with an almost systematic fade.
- Grip: A very weak left hand, thumb down the middle of the grip, and choked down: his hands are low at address, with more knee flex. (National Club Golfer, 2024)
- The bowed lead wrist: At the top his lead wrist is slightly bowed, and he keeps it into impact to de-loft the club and limit face rotation. (PGA Tour, 2021)
- Backswing: He keeps his posture through the turn, with little lateral hip movement and a steady head; Sessinghaus wants rotation all the way to the top, without lifting the arms, and the lead arm connected to the chest. (GOLF.com, 2021)
- Downswing and impact: He starts down with a big hip shift toward the target; it is the body rotation, not the hands, that squares the face. (PGA Tour, 2021)
- The fade: 90 to 95% of his shots move left to right, from an inch to 20 feet. He drew the ball until about age 16. (PGA Tour, 2021)
- Iron play: A low, spinning fade with the irons, without the face turning over. In 2021 he gained about 1.4 strokes per round on approach, the sixth-best season ever measured. (PGA Tour, 2021)
- Finish: A lower exit because he wants the fade; the trail arm straightens and the hips keep opening. (GOLF.com, 2024)
What Amateurs Can Copy from Collin Morikawa's Swing
- Don't copy his weak grip or bowed wrist, which his coach advises amateurs against: find a grip and clubface combination you can repeat instead. See our grip lessons.
- Practise punch shots, low with a shorter swing, to learn to square the face with body rotation rather than the hands. See our lessons on compressing the ball with irons.
- Copy his finish: a centred turn, a hip shift toward the target to start the downswing, and the hands ahead of the ball at impact. See our impact position lessons.
Compare with other pros' swings.
Collin Morikawa's Game: What We Can Learn from His Lessons
Collin Morikawa's fade
The fade is Collin Morikawa’s signature shot. With the driver, he aims to the left, doesn’t force the spin, keeps the clubface from rotating on the upswing, and focuses on a single start line. He explains it with Dustin Johnson: Collin Morikawa and Dustin Johnson Explain the Driver Fade. His advice on driving is very simple: an imaginary fairway between two landmarks, a slow takeaway, and a target in mind. Collin Morikawa: His Simple Tips for the Driver (tempo, target).
Collin Morikawa's irons: controlling the clubface
With irons, the rule is the same: the clubface remains pointed toward the target, and it is the body—whether open or closed—that creates the fade or the draw. The height of the finish determines the trajectory. Collin Morikawa: Working on Fade and Draw Shots with Irons. When facing the wind, he softens his hands upon impact to reduce spin, as he demonstrates in Grant Horvat: Collin Morikawa to Grant Horvat: Controlling Spin with Irons. With Tiger Woods, he's aiming for a “spot” rather than the flag: Tiger Woods and Collin Morikawa: The Art of the Iron Shot.
Collin Morikawa's wedges
From 50 to 70 yards, he gauges his swing by feel rather than by the clock, without slowing down, and maintains a downward swing to make the ball bite. Collin Morikawa: Getting His 50- and 70-Yard Wedges to Bite. It also prevents excessive loft at impact with the wedge, lob, and pitch: Short Game: Collin Morikawa Gives Grant Horvat Some Tips (Wedge, Lob, Pitch). Finally, he compares two bounces for a wedge that slides instead of digging in: Collin Morikawa: How He Works on His Wedges. Like Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, he often prefers a fluffed wedge shot to a full swing: Ribbed Wedges: The Scheffler, Morikawa, and Korda Method.
Collin Morikawa Faces the Wind and the Slope
On the course, he first assesses the lie and the wind, then chooses between two trajectories—downhill, uphill, or downwind. Collin Morikawa: Choosing the Right Iron Shot Based on the Slope and the Wind.
Collin Morikawa's Best Lessons by Topic
- Fade, draw, and driving (draw or fade, Driving, Rhythm and Tempo, Backswing): Collin Morikawa and Dustin Johnson Explain the Driver Fade, Collin Morikawa: Working on Fade and Draw Shots with Irons, Collin Morikawa: His Simple Tips for the Driver (tempo, target).
- Irons (irons, uneven lies, Course Management): Collin Morikawa: Choosing the Right Iron Shot Based on the Slope and the Wind, Collin Morikawa to Grant Horvat: Controlling Spin with Irons, Tiger Woods and Collin Morikawa: The Art of the Iron Shot.
- Wedges and Short Game (wedge play, pitching, and chipping, create spin, Pitch Shots): Collin Morikawa: Getting His 50- and 70-Yard Wedges to Bite, Short Game: Collin Morikawa Gives Grant Horvat Some Tips (Wedge, Lob, Pitch), Ribbed Wedges: The Scheffler, Morikawa, and Korda Method, Collin Morikawa: How He Works on His Wedges.
See also the fact sheets on Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, Nelly Korda, Grant Horvat and Tommy Fleetwood.
Frequently Asked Questions About Collin Morikawa: Career Highlights, Fade, Irons, Wedges, and Golf Lessons on Video
How old is Collin Morikawa?
Collin Morikawa was born on February 6, 1997, in Los Angeles; he is 29 years old.
How many majors has Collin Morikawa won?
Two: the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship, both in his first appearance at each tournament.
How many wins does Collin Morikawa have on the PGA Tour?
Seven, the last one at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February 2026, at 22 under par.
Did Collin Morikawa win the Race to Dubai?
Yes, in 2021, after his victory at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. He is the first American to top the European Tour standings.
Where did Collin Morikawa go to school?
At the University of California, Berkeley (2015–2019), where he earned a degree in business administration.
What is Collin Morikawa's favorite shot?
The fade. He hits it by keeping his face pointed toward the target and opening his body, whether he's using a driver or irons. His lessons are summarized on this page.
Did Collin Morikawa play in the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup?
Yes: three Ryder Cups (2021, 2023, 2025), including the U.S. victory in 2021, and three Presidents Cups (2022, 2024, 2026).
How does Collin Morikawa hit his fade?
With a very weak lead hand and a slightly bowed lead wrist that he keeps into impact, then a body rotation that squares the face without the hands closing it. 90 to 95% of his shots are fades.
