PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA (AP) – On the PGA Tour, who is the best iron player? It’s a wonderful conversation starter at the water cooler. Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa are typically at the top of the list.
Since the 2016-17 season, Thomas, 27, has finished in the top six in Strokes Gained: Approach every year, including first in 2019-20. (he was also first from 125-150 yards that season). In 2020-21, Morikawa, 24, was ranked #1. (he was first from 125-150 yards, 150-175 yards, and 175-200 yards, which is very Tigeresque).
When the wind made TPC Sawgrass practically unplayable last week at the Players, Morikawa and Thomas were clustered together. Thomas and Morikawa had the terrible chore of playing the renowned par-3 17th hole twice in the worst of the wind on Saturday. Although it was a small sample size, Thomas located the green and made two pars, but Morikawa shot two balls into the water and had to scramble to avoid bogeys. Do you have an advantage, Thomas?
“It was so good because he had so much control over the golf ball, and I’ve had those rounds and feel like I can have a lot more of those rounds,” Morikawa said of Thomas, who shot one of three bogey-free rounds.
But who is the best on the Tour? Morikawa had a different moniker in mind.
“I’ve always admired and admired JT’s iron game, but I still believe Tiger has the finest iron game.” “Like, right now,” Morikawa explained. “It was fantastic when we had our TaylorMade shoots and you’d see him out there and I’d talk to him and we produced a little 10-minute film of him hitting irons.”
How did it feel to see a Tiger Stripe Show?
“He could fire any shot he wanted.” I can make those shots, but can I do it ten times out of ten? No, Tiger can,” Morikawa remarked of Woods, who was first from 50 to 125 yards in 2004, the first year Strokes Gained statistics were kept, and first in SG: Approach to the Green in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2013. “You could see he knew precisely what he was going to do because he came out of the same window and it was so straightforward.” We try to keep it basic, yet a cut shot is sometimes easier for me than a draw. I’m probably putting forth a little more effort than he is to make that draw.
It was quite effective. It was so simple. And that’s the kind of golf you want to play.”
Both Thomas and Morikawa have a long way to go before they can compete with Woods, but with Tiger out of the picture, Thomas and Morikawa are the front runners among active players.
“Do I believe (Thomas) is superior?” According to Morikawa. “I mean, I still think my iron game is better than everyone when it’s on.” It would be detrimental for me to believe otherwise, because then I’d arrive to these occasions thinking, “OK, I’ve got to execute everything perfectly.” For example, I still believe I can play a decent game and get away with it for a week and possibly win.”
Morikawa admitted that his ball-striking still has ups and downs, stating that when he played on the DP World Tour earlier this year in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, “my game was probably the worst it has been for two years.”
Morikawa dismissed any fears that being blown out at the Players and missing his first cut of the season would have any long-term consequences. Morikawa arrived at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course on Monday with his caddie J.J. Jakovac, grabbed a 7-iron to replicate the tee shot at TPC 17 that had befuddled him on Saturday, and immediately put the previous week behind him.
“Will I be frightened?” “I’m not sure,” Morikawa remarked of the possibility of scar tissue at TPC’s 17th hole. “I mean, I had some fantastic bogeys.” I mean, I made some jokes. For example, I probably should have lay up and made three.”
