Collin Morikawa’s 2025 season has seen nearly as many caddie changes as tournaments. With the FedEx St. Jude Championship underway, he’s now on his fifth caddie of the year. But he’s just the latest name in a carousel of collaborations. Since his surprise split with J.J. Jakovac, who had been on his bag for six years and helped him win two majors, Morikawa has experimented with several options, none of which have led to consistent results.

Morikawa’s revolving door of caddies in 2025 has been particularly jarring given how steady his career looked just two seasons ago. A standout from the University of California, Morikawa burst onto the PGA Tour in 2019 and quickly made headlines with his precision iron play and calm demeanor. By the time he turned 25, he was already a two-time major winner, with victories at the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 Open Championship.

At the Zurich Classic, he briefly turned to Joe Greiner, known for his successful partnership with Max Homa. Despite their familiarity, the duo struggled to find a common ground. He missed the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge with Greiner still on the bag. “We gave it a shot, but it wasn’t the right fit,” Morikawa later admitted.

Next came Billy Foster, a veteran caddie with major pedigree. The pairing lasted just one week, and Morikawa failed to crack the top 20 at the Memorial Tournament. “Billy’s great, but we didn’t quite sync the way I’d hoped,” he explained.

K.K. Limbhasut, Morikawa’s college teammate from Cal, stepped in next during the Rocket Mortgage Classic, but the chemistry didn’t yield better results he finished T-40. “Having KK on the bag brought back memories, but we both knew it was a temporary solution,” said Morikawa.

At the heart of that success was J.J. Jakovac, a veteran caddie who had previously worked with Ryan Moore. Their partnership clicked instantly. Jakovac was widely praised for his preparation and calm presence, complementing Morikawa’s cerebral, methodical game. Together, they notched five PGA Tour wins and became one of the most respected player-caddie duos on tour. That’s why the news of their split in April 2025 sent shockwaves through the golf world. While both remained cordial publicly, insiders speculated the relationship had run its course amid growing performance pressure and diverging priorities. “J.J. and I had a great run, and I’m incredibly thankful for everything we accomplished,” Morikawa said at the time. “But sometimes change is necessary, even when it’s hard.”

Since then, Morikawa has been chasing consistency and finding little of it. Each new caddie brought a different rhythm, voice, and strategy. But none have been able to restore the synergy he had with Jakovac. Now enters Urbanek, whose resume includes a four-year stint with Tony Finau. Together, they won multiple times and contended in majors, with Urbanek known for his calm under pressure and detailed course knowledge. Their partnership ended quietly after The Open Championship, opening the door for Morikawa to swoop in.

Bringing in Urbanek could mark Morikawa’s push to regain long-term consistency. “I’ve learned that the player-caddie dynamic isn’t just about yardages. It’s about trust,” he said earlier this season. “When that’s missing, everything feels just a bit off.” Urbanek steps in for the FedEx Cup Playoffs as Morikawa, currently ranked 19th in  FedExCup points and 6th in OWGR, looks to bounce back from consecutive missed cuts. With a Ryder Cup spot still in play, he needs a strong postseason to stay in the mix.

“The goal hasn’t changed—I want to be one of the best in the world,” Morikawa said earlier this year. “It’s just been harder to find that gear this season.” Whether Urbanek becomes a long-term solution or just another footnote in a chaotic year remains to be seen. But with the Ryder Cup looming and the 2026 season in sight, Morikawa can’t afford more misfires.

From Junior Golf to Major Champion: Collin Morikawa’s Path

Morikawa enters the FedEx Cup Playoffs after back-to-back missed cuts at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship. The uncharacteristic slump has added urgency to his late-season push. The caddie carousel may define headlines, but it’s only part of the picture.

To understand how Morikawa is handling this moment, it helps to look at the foundation he was built on. Born in Los Angeles in 1997 to a Japanese-American father and Chinese-American mother, Morikawa grew up grounded and calm. “I think growing up in that kind of background made me more open-minded, more curious,” he told Golf Digest. Coach Rick Sessinghaus began mentoring him at eight, building not just his swing but his decision-making and mental sharpness.

That early development set him up for success long before he turned professional. By the time he arrived at Cal, Morikawa was already a known quantity on the amateur circuit. But it was his time at the Haas School of Business that quietly sharpened the off-course half of his game. His degree isn’t a vanity line—it’s part of why he’s handled sponsor shifts, scheduling, and public pivots with almost unnerving composure. When he turned pro in 2019, skipping the Korn Ferry queue, he didn’t just win quickly—he made history. Two majors in debut appearances (2020 PGA, 2021 Open) stamped his name into the record books, but didn’t distract him from the process. “I’ve never tried to chase greatness,” he told Golf.com after his Open win. “I just try to get a little better.”

That discipline was no accident—it was shaped through years of top-level amateur play. Before turning pro, Collin Morikawa was already showing signs of greatness. He won big amateur events like the 2013 Western Junior and 2015 Trans‑Mississippi Amateur. One of his best moments came at the 2016 Sunnehanna Amateur, where he shot a final-round 62. He kept winning, picking up titles like the 2017 Northeast Amateur and the 2019 Pac‑12 Championship while at UC Berkeley. In 2018, he became the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world for three weeks—proving he was ready for the next level.

Now, all of that experience will be tested. With a revolving door of caddies and looming Ryder Cup decisions, Morikawa faces a rare stretch of uncertainty. But if his past is any indicator, he won’t panic. He’ll plot, test, recalibrate. Because for a player built more like a strategist than a showman, form is temporary—but clarity, as always, is the long game.