Morikawa Battles Through Toughest Round, Scores 74 at Masters Return

Collin Morikawa returned to competition after a month off and posted a 2-over 74 in the first round at Augusta.

The two-time major winner said he battled through what he called his toughest round and scored 74 in his Masters return.

Injury and layoff

Morikawa experienced back pain on a practice swing at the Players Championship on March 12. He then paused tournament play for 30 days.

He had won at Pebble Beach in February at 22-under. The victory came before the injury interrupted his schedule.

Trust, comfort and preparation

He reported no back pain during Thursday’s round. Still, he struggled to find physical comfort and confidence.

Morikawa said he had been hitting balls for about ten days before the Masters. Practice felt tentative and less than fully trusted.

Walking and stability

Walking the course proved the biggest challenge. His legs felt wobbly and not fully under him.

He believes the issue is a trust factor, not clear muscle loss. He has relied more on upper-body motion recently.

Range work and driving numbers

Augusta practice sessions produced modest longest drives during the week. He logged several limited-range days before the round.

During the competitive round, his driving average measured 310.6 yards. His longest drive reached 314.5 yards.

He described some tee shots as “little dinks,” noting firm fairways created extra roll.

First-round summary and outlook

Morikawa carded two birdies and four bogeys in his opening round. He called expectations secondary to getting through the day.

He took the break after the Players to be ready for this event. He said he hoped to continue grinding over the next three rounds.

Source and context

David Westin, a Masters Major Achievement Award recipient, has covered Augusta tournaments since 1979. He also caddied at Augusta National for a period.

This report is published by Filmogaz.com. It focuses solely on verified details from Morikawa’s return at the Masters.