Collin Morikawa viciously called out by Rocco Mediate before PLAYERS
03/13/2025 02:12 AM
Two days after his devastating defeat to Russell Henley at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Collin Morikawa was finally prepared to discuss it—or maybe not. Meanwhile, Rocco Mediate delivered sharp criticism, calling out Morikawa for his handling of the late collapse on Sunday.
Morikawa saw his lead slip away late at Bay Hill, allowing Russell Henley to surge ahead and denying himself a golden opportunity to snap an 18-month winless drought on the PGA Tour. Afterward, he turned down all media requests, leaving reporters—and his fans—to speculate on what went wrong for the 28-year-old at Arnie's Place.
When asked about his decision ahead of this week's PLAYERS Championship, Morikawa didn't hold back. "I was just heated, just pissed," he admitted.
"No offense to you guys, but for me in the moment of that time, I didn't want to be around anyone. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't need any sorries. I didn't need any 'good playings.' Like, you're just pissed," Morikawa continued.
Rocco Mediate didn't take kindly to any of it. Speaking on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show, as first reported by Golf Digest, the 62-year-old didn't hold back, delivering a harsh critique of Morikawa's actions and his reasoning behind them.
"Biggest bunch of horseshit you could ever say, period. I mean, that is the dumbest, most selfish garbage you could ever say," Mediate said.
Rocco Mediate did not hold back on Collin Morikawa skipping his press conference after Sunday's final round at Bay Hill.
(via @SiriusXMPGATOUR) pic.twitter.com/MTRRwVM7SA
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 12, 2025
Collin Morikawa letting the championship slip away
Then, the momentum shifted. On the par-5 16th, Henley faced a tough chip from the rough—one that likely would have rolled past the green if not for the hole getting in the way. Instead, the ball dropped in for an eagle, a fortunate break that even Henley acknowledged with an almost apologetic reaction toward Morikawa.
Mediate, a six-time PGA Tour winner and now part of the PGA Tour Champions circuit, didn't hold back in his criticism of the two-time major champion. While Morikawa's frustration was justified, his reaction drew scrutiny. The 28-year-old has been chasing a PGA Tour victory since his triumph at the ZOZO Championship in late 2023.
"Mr. Palmer would've hunted him down. Trust me on that one because Mr Palmer told me one thing that stuck with me. [He said] 'You know what, Rock, it's real easy to go in and talk to somebody when you won or when you've played well, but can you do it when you don't? That's the key.' Obviously he can't," continued Mediate.
Mediate delivered strong opinions and passionate critiques, expressing disappointment that some of today's players aren't upholding the legacy of past greats like Arnold Palmer. He believes the current generation isn’t carrying the torch the way their predecessors did.
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