Collin Morikawa finally did it. After 847 days and 45 winless starts, the 2x major champion broke through at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, claiming his seventh PGA Tour title and a $3.6 million payday from the $20M purse. But the win almost slipped through his fingers. And it’s not because of poor play, but because of something he’s been complaining about for years: slow play.

The 18th hole at Pebble Beach should have been a celebration. Instead, it turned into a test of patience that nearly cost Collin Morikawa everything. NUCLR Golf captured his visible frustration, posting that Morikawa “was not happy with the pace of play on 18.” The wait was absurd—30 minutes between shots. When he finally got to hit, the golfer narrowly missed the green with his second shot into the par-5 closer.

Standing around for half an hour with a tournament on the line isn’t just annoying. It’s bad. And Morikawa explained it.

“I paced all the way to the ocean 10 times. I just had to keep moving. These long breaks, they’re not good for anyone to stand still.” After somehow holding it together and pulling off the shots he needed, his first reaction said it all. “I was able to pull off a great 4-iron, and man, I need a drink.”

This wasn’t a random complaint.

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Morikawa has been one of the Tour’s most vocal critics of slow play enforcement. Back in March 2025, speaking ahead of the Players Championship as the PGA Tour was working on new sanctions to address the issue, Morikawa had already called out the existing system as unfit for purpose.

“I think you just have to start stroking guys and giving guys actual penalties, whether it be strokes or FedExCup points,” Morikawa argued at the time. “What I’ve learned is that monetary fines are useless. We make so much money, and some guys frankly could not care less.”

When you’re making millions, a few thousand in fines is parking ticket money. Morikawa’s solution was that simple stroke penalties or FedExCup point deductions would actually hurt. Sunday at Pebble Beach proved why this matters. Slow play doesn’t just inconvenience players. It can legitimately affect the results.

Despite the chaos, Morikawa delivered. His final-round 67 pushed him to 22-under, one stroke ahead of Min Woo Lee and Sepp Straka. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made things interesting with a blistering 63 that included three eagles, finishing tied for fourth with Tommy Fleetwood at 20-under.

“[Winning here] was never in the dreams, honestly,” Collin Morikawa admitted on CBS. “Pebble Beach was a course that you just wanted to come and play against the pros and play against the best in the world.” Looking out at the Pacific Ocean, he added, “Shoot, we’re at Pebble Beach. So I’m going to enjoy this one.”

And enjoy it he should. Because this win means more than most.

Collin Morikawa’s comeback, on and off the course

This win was special because it ended a losing streak that had lasted since October 2023 and put Morikawa back among the best players on the PGA Tour.

The timing added another personal touch. Shortly after winning the title, Morikawa announced that he and his wife are expecting their first child.

“There’s so much to life, there’s so much to enjoy,” Morikawa said, holding back his tears. “I’m hard on myself like I talked about, I’m just so thankful for the people around me, my team, my wife, my parents, my brother. I’m speechless right now.”

That background made the last part even more interesting. Morikawa still made clutch shots late in the game, even though he was under significant pressure from the leaderboard, a charging Scottie Scheffler, and the mental strain of slow play. This showed that he had grown up through years of elite competition and recent problems.

So, it won’t be wrong to say Pebble Beach stood for new beginnings for Collin Morikawa.

A long-awaited win, a growing family, and a reminder of how good he was at iron play all came together in one week that changed everything. Morikawa’s win wasn’t just about the money or points; it was the start of a new chapter for him.