Collin Morikawa’s strong start to the 2026 PGA Tour Season continues at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Collin Morikawa opened with a six-under-par 66 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, carrying his strong start to the 2026 season into another week.
The two-time major champion also had three consecutive top-10 finishes to start the season before making the short trip from Los Angeles to Florida for this week’s event.
The Japanese-American didn’t hit every fairway and green but scored well on Thursday. He carded seven birdies and an eagle along with three bogeys and seven pars.
Collin Morikawa shares what led him to focus on fitness
Speaking after his 66 at Bay Hill, Morikawa talked about what he changed over the winter. There was one adjustment he made in late 2024 that he hoped would help him control the left side of the golf course, but this off-season, his attention shifted elsewhere.
Morikawa said: “I think last year I had to believe that it was going to be the change that I needed, right.”
He continued: “Then until November, December when I said, screw it, like I’m going to put every ounce of my energy into fixing my body instead of trying to fix the golf swing.
“I’m going to fix, you know, fix the back, be healthy, get healthier, move better. Not that I was playing injured every single week, but there’s a difference of moving freely and not being scared of doing things.
“And compare [it with] the last couple of years – maybe dancing around other aspects of the body. So that was the biggest thing is now it feels like when I wake up and I go and warm up I’m ready to go.
“Versus trying to get into it and hopefully – and hoping that the one swing thought is going to sync up with how the body’s moving.
“I’m really diligent with making sure the body’s in a great spot every morning to then say – okay – ‘the same feels are able to translate into the rest of my game.”
Morikawa’s down year in 2025 is helping him grow in 2026
After his 66 in Orlando, Morikawa was asked about any changes he made during the off-season, particularly after a change he spoke about late last year that he believed would help him control the left side of the course.
“I think last year I had to believe that it was going to be the change that I needed, right,” Morikawa said.
“Then until November, December when I said, screw it, like I’m going to put every ounce of my energy into fixing my body instead of trying to fix the golf swing.
“I’m going to fix, you know, fix the back, be healthy, get healthier, move better. Not that I was playing injured every single week, but there’s a difference of moving freely and not being scared of doing things.
“And compare [that] to last couple years [when] maybe dancing around other aspects of the body. So that was the biggest thing is now it feels like when I wake up and I go and warm-up I’m ready to go.
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