Collin Morikawa is returning to competition after a brief break since the PGA Championship 2026. But this week carries a different significance than his previous appearances. Ahead of the event in Toronto, the two-time major winner opened up about changes happening in his life after the arrival of his newborn baby and revealed an aspect of the experience he did not fully appreciate until he lived through it himself.

“Yeah, a lot of people on tour have given me advice, a lot of friends. And just a different perspective on life, I think. I’m just enjoying every day. I can stare at a camera, I can stare at my little one just non-stop and kind of forget about what else is going on. I know at the same time I still have a job to do when I’m out here and that’s what’s great kind of being back. But at the same time when I’m out there playing you’re kind of playing a little bit differently, your mind’s in a different spot. I think I’m a lot more positive out there and hopefully I can kind of just allow my body to relax and go out and play golf and enjoy it again,” the 29-year-old said at the media press conference before the RBC Canadian Open 2026.

“I kind of took it for granted on the sleep thing. And that’s a real thing. So I won’t push it on my wife that I’m getting some great sleep out here. But your body gets used to taking 50-minute naps and learning how to run off that.”

Morikawa’s wife, Katherine Zhu, announced the pregnancy in February 2026, after his Pebble Beach win. The couple welcomed their first child recently. However, they have made no information about the child public at the moment.

Morikawa’s sleep deprivation is reshaping his approach to competition. Xander Schauffele, who welcomed son Viktor on August 29, 2025, echoed the same struggle.

In one of the Ryder Cup YouTube videos, he said he was “definitely sleeping more than Maya” when playing golf.

Beyond sleep, the seven-time PGA Tour winner’s newborn has reshaped his mindset—especially after a back injury forced him to withdraw from the 2026 Players Championship after playing just a single hole. His body recovered, and he played in the 2026 Masters. However, he also admitted he had never been that scared of playing golf.

After withdrawing from the Players and struggling at the Masters, Morikawa admitted he’d never been that scared—a fear he reaffirmed at the RBC. Opening up about leaving the PGA Championship uncomfortably, he said that he was still not at 100%. Therefore, taking a break and spending a little time with his baby has been great.

“It was nice to take a full reset. And just focus on other things going on in life,” Morikawa added.

Although still struggling, Morikawa is looking to get comfortable ahead of the 2026 U.S. Open.

Collin Morikawa opens up about the trust factor when playing with a back injury

Speaking with the media ahead of the 2026 RBC Canadian Open, the American professional opened up about still not being at the top regarding his physical fitness.

“I wish the body was a little bit better, but it’s just building in this trust,” he said.

Morikawa is trying to find that trust factor at the RBC Canadian Open or during practice at the 2026 U.S. Open. His goal is to bring his best to Shinnecock Hills, unlike at the Masters and the PGA Championship, where he was still struggling. However, he has already improved a lot with his swing. So, when he brings in the trust factor, his game will be exactly where he wants it to be.

The 2021 Open Championship winner is taking every step to prevent the recurrence of his back injury. He is still afraid, though. According to him, the injury left some sort of trauma, which he is trying to cope with.

‘Whether renewed positivity translates to Shinnecock Hills will define his summer.