Winning the Zozo Championship in 2023 meant the world to me, says US golfer Collin Morikawa

San Diego (USA): With his heritage being half Japanese and with Morikawa as his last name, American professional golfer Collin Morikawa says returning to Narita, Japan for the next edition of the Zozo Championship from October 24-27, is a special occasion for him and winning the title there last year meant a world to him.

Morikawa had secured a popular victory at the Zozo Championship in 2023 when he claimed his sixth career PGA TOUR title by six strokes. The 27-year-old, who is ranked fourth in the world, will return to the same venue next week with the intention to defend his title and end the year on a winning note.

Morikawa said he is looking forward to going back to Japan.

"There are only a few places around the world where you hope to win before the end of your career and for me, Japan is one of those places. Winning the Zozo Championship last October meant the world to me. With my heritage being half Japanese and my last name being Morikawa, it's just so special," Morikawa said in a write-up for the PGA Tour by special arrangement.

The 27-year-old golfer said he is looking forward to winning another title in an international event -- especially in Japan where he traces his roots to.

"Achieving success around the world is never easy in our sport. We play so much in the U.S. that when we have these opportunities to play internationally and play in a country that I love and have respect for, it's very significant. I can now check that off my bucket list and say I've done it, and hopefully, I can continue to repeat my success in the years to come.

"It was really incredible to win in front of our Japanese fans. Every win is different, and every experience, whether it's winning or losing, you learn a lot. I had not won a tournament for about two years prior to Zozo, so to secure a six-shot victory was quite exciting," he wrote.

Morikawa said the Zozo Championship is one of those tournaments that is highlighted on his schedule every year. "It’s amongst a few, including Tiger Woods' event at the Genesis Invitational in L.A. that I really look forward to. Being half Japanese and having the opportunity to connect with the people in Japan over the years has meant a lot. Japan is one of my favorite countries in the entire world and I truly love being out there," said Morikawa.

Morikawa, who considers himself "a part Japanese player" and feels "the love from the fans", said he also looks forward to representing the USA in various events.

"When you're able to represent the U.S., whether it's at the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, or the Olympics, it drives you that much more. I knew at the beginning of the week last year that the fans were obviously rooting for the Japanese players, but I like to consider myself as a part Japanese player, so I felt the love from the fans," he said, adding that last year's win in Zozo Championship was really memorable for him.

"Before the win, I had not won for nearly two years and decided to take a few steps back to try and understand the foundation that made me such a solid player, like back when I was playing so good from 2019-2021. Sometimes, you have to understand from a very basic level why your golf game works, and we were able to figure a few things out in Japan.

"Also, it helps that the putter got hot, which is always nice, and I put together quite a few great iron shots when I needed to. That's always been my strength, even when I don’t hit it great, my iron play is still proving to be the one aspect of my game that I can rely on."

Morikawa noted that having his wife at the event was quite satisfactory and highlighted the contribution of his caddie to his success.