Cal Golf: Collin Morikawa Climbs to 18th Place On the Final Day of The Masters

Hideki Matsuyama Is the First Male Player from Japan to Win a Major Tournament

Collin Morikawa rallied to shoot a 2-under par 70 in Sunday’s final round of the 85th Masters, climbing 11 spots to a tie for 18th place at Augusta National.

The 2019 Cal grad, who carded a 75 on Saturday, fired six birdies over the final 18 holes for a two-under 70 and a four-day score of one-under 287.

Morikawa wound up nine strokes back of winner Hideki Matsuyama, who made history by becoming the first male player from Japan to win one of the four major tournaments. Matsuyama built a four-stroke lead after shooting a 65 on Saturday and prevailed by a single stroke over runner-up Will Zalatoris after shooting a final-round 73.

Just as defending champion Dustin Johnson was about to help Matsuyama into the green jacket that comes with victory, he said in English, “I’m really happy.”

Winner of the 2020 PGA Championship, Morikawa finished in a tie for 44th place at the 2020 Masters that was played in November after delays due to COVID-19. 

For the second day in a row, Morikawa posted a double-bogey 6 on the 11th and over the four days he was plus-5 on that hole. He played six-under on the other 68 holes.

Morikawa started well Sunday with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3. He bogeyed No. 4 then regrouped with birdies on Nos. 6 and 7. But with a bogey on No. 9 and the double on the 11th, Morikawa’s chances of climbing to the top-10 were dashed.

He finished strong, with birdies on the 12th and 16th along with five pars over the final seven holes.

Morikawa wound up tied with Tyrell Hatton and Scottie Scheffler for 18th place. Each went home with $161,000.

Matsuyama, 29, survived despite trouble on the 15th hole, where he hit a ball into the water and came away with a bogey. Xander Schauffele closed within two strokes at that point but he triple-bogeyed the 16th — also hitting into the water — and lost his opportunity to make a move on the leader.

Matsuyama wound up at minus-10 for the tournament while Zalatoris, a rookie on the tour, shot nine under to secure the runner-up spot.

Matsuyama is the first player from an Asian country to win the Masters and the second to win a major; the first was South Korea's Y.E. Yang in the 2009 PGA Championship.

"Hopefully, I'll be a pioneer and many other Japanese will follow," Matsuyama said.

His victory came with a check for $2,070,000. Zalatoris pocketed $1,242,000.

Jon Rahm, who became a father for the first time a week ago, sot a 66 on Sunday to climb from a tie for 21st place to fifth.

Cover photo of Collin Morikawa by Rob Schumacher, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo