TELFER’S THOUGHTS 16.2.26

When you’re one of the world’s best golfers with two Majors to your name, going 848 days without a win of any kind would, you’d expect, prompt a raft of pessimistic thoughts to rattle around in your head. Not so said Collin Morikawa after breaking that two-and-a-half-year drought with victory in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Monterey Peninsula in California. He was always sure he would win again and was good enough to believe he could, even against the best.

The Pebble Beach Pro-Am is one of the high-flying events on the US Tour. Being a Pro-Am it brings together Hollywood celebrities, sporting stars, business tycoons and the game’s best golfers. Eighteen of the world’s top 20 were at Pebble Beach this year, along with the likes of Ryan Fox.

Morikawa’s win was built around a 10 under par 62 on the third day, a round which included 11 birdies. Even that eye-popping display still left him two shots off the lead going into the last round. He was able to continue his good form into the last day and as the leaderboard bunched up with four players at one stage tied for the lead midway through the last round, it was Morikawa who prevailed with his sound game from tee to green and saw him edge out his closest rivals by 1 shot when he birdied the par 5 18th .

For all the plaudits that deservedly went Morikawa’s way there was almost as much admiration, bordering almost on disbelief, at the performance of Scottie Scheffler who almost completed one of the greatest comebacks of all time.

After the first round, Scheffler, the world’s undisputed leading golfer, was right near the tail of the field after an opening round of 72 which left him 10 shots behind the leader and in 62nd place. At one stage during the second round he slipped to 11 shots off the lead.

Rather like Morikawa’s ‘never give up’ attitude, Scheffler’s mind mirrored similar thoughts. A 6 under 66 on Day 2, then a 5 under 67 narrowed the deficit to 8 shots which in Scheffler’s own words meant he just went out there on the last day and ‘free-wheeled it’ and with spectacular success, reeling off 6 birdies and 3 eagles, yes 3 eagles in the one round. It was nothing short of spectacular. He also clocked up 3 bogeys, but when he walked off the 18 th green and signed for a 9 under 63 he had a share of the lead.

Unfortunately for Scheffler, Morikawa’s strong finish saw him pip his fellow American on the last hole.

Almost as spectacular was Rory McIlroy’s final round - an 8 under 64 - 8 birdies, 10 pars, no blemishes. Scheffler and McIlroy are officially the world’s top two golfers and although neither managed to win at Pebble Beach this day, they showed why they are nonetheless the world’s two best. Ryan Fox, it should be added, certainly didn’t disgrace himself in such exulted company. After an even par 72 on Day 1, which left him tied with Scheffler in 62nd place, Foxy then hung tough for the final three rounds with some very classy golf. An 8 under 64 on Day 2 and 69 on each of the last two days saw him finish in a tie for 24th place with a cheque for around NZ$225,000. All up Foxy recorded 22 birdies across the four days. I’m assuming he will tee it up down the road in San Diego this week for the next US$20 million Signature tournament where every competitor is assured a big pay day because there’s no cut. Every golfer plays four rounds.