2024 US Open: Top 10 power rankings at Pinehurst
2024USOpen/PowerRank/5. 5. OWGR: 7th. Best U.S. Open finish: T-4th (2021). Collin Morikawa
Collin Morikawa learned firsthand what a lot of players are learning this year: it’s really freaking hard to beat Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler was far from perfect on Sunday, but he did just enough to keep Morikawa at bay. No one will likely ever top peak Tiger Woods’ intimidation factor, but seeing Scheffler next to you in your final round pairing is scary.
Nonetheless, it was still a phenomenal week for Morikawa, who posted 68-74-68-71 in demanding conditions to finish solo second and three shots ahead of third. He played the last two holes in 1-over and failed to birdie the par-5 16th.
Morikawa was fourth in the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (3.122), fourth in SG: Approach (5.091) and top-20 in all SG categories.
This result was Morikawa’s third straight top-four, which includes T-4th at the PGA Championship. He was also T-3rd at the Masters. After a disappointing start to 2024, the two-time major champion seems to be figuring things out.
“...it probably all started right around Augusta, but it's just kind of keeping things simple and just playing with what I have and truly not trying to go against the grain,” Morikawa was transcribed by ASAP Sports. “It's hard to do that in this kind of sport that we play in because we want to perfect things. But things are coming together nicely and it's just about going out for next week, the next couple weeks, for me of just staying true and not trying to force anything because, look, today could have gone any direction, I think.”
Morikawa will be teeing it up for the first time at Pinehurst No. 2 this week. He’s no stranger to the U.S. Open, though, having played it five times already by age 27.
He’s finished in the top 14 each of the last three years, including back-to-back top-fives in 2021-22.
Through June 2, Morikawa ranks 14th on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total (.943). He’s 11th in SG: Tee-to-Green (1.057), 16th in SG: Off-the-Tee (.494), and 15th in SG: Around-the-Green (.401).
Morikawa is not a great approach player from the rough, so he appears to be a good course fit given the lack of gnarly stuff off the fairway.
Morikawa is top-40 in bogey avoidance and bounce-back percentage.