Collin Morikawa on opening 74 at Masters: 'Toughest round I've ever played'
Collin Morikawa's return to golf at the 2026 Masters was uncertain, and Thursday's first round showed how far he has to go to feel normal.
He’s got one round in the books after a month away from golf to rest his ailing back, which is progress for Collin Morikawa. He just never expected the return to be so nerve-wracking. “Honestly, it's probably the toughest round I've ever played,” the two-time major champion said after a 2-over-par 74 in the first round of the Masters Tournament on Thursday.
“You know, I'm just fighting. Like, it's a battle. I don't think I've been able to get comfortable out there and trusting the entire body.
So I'm proud of the way things kind of played out. You know, yeah, the expectations are kind of thrown out the window right now. ” LEADERBOARD: 2026 Masters scores, tee times, videos Morikawa, who won at Pebble Beach in February with a 22-under score, had gone 30 days without competition before teeing it up at Augusta National.
He experienced back pain on a practice swing on the second hole of the first round of the Players Championship on March 12. “I think it's a trust factor, right? I think when it happened out on the course at The Players, you know, there's a certain doubt factor of, like, is this going to happen, is this not?