Collin Morikawa just getting started with PGA Championship victory

Collin Morikawa is a major championship at 23, and it probably won’t be his last.

Collin Morikawa will remember the shot for the rest of his life.

The 23-year-old, playing in just his second career major championship and first PGA Championship, stepped to the 16th tee on Sunday at TPC Harding Park in sole possession of the lead. The hole is a short, driveable par-4, suitable for a player who works the ball left-to-right. Morikawa fits into that category and pulled off a shot that will be replayed for years to come.

Playing his trademark fade, Morikawa’s tee shot bounced on the front of the green and rolled to within seven feet of the flag. He now had a makeable eagle putt to pull two shots ahead of the massive pack that was chasing him. He made the putt and was well on his way to solidifying his place in the record books.

Morikawa finished the tournament at 13-under, two shots ahead of Paul Casey and Dustin Johnson, players with vastly more experience than he does. Morikawa turned pro just over a year ago and already had two PGA Tour titles on his resume. But he had never found himself in this position at a major; he was tied for 35th at the U.S. Open last year, his only other major championship.

He showed the poise and calmness under pressure that belies a player of his age. Morikawa is now in elite company. He joins Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Rory McIlroy as the only players to win the PGA Championship by the age of 23 in the stroke-play era. He’s the ninth in tournament history to win in his first attempt, the first since Keegan Bradley in 2011. He’s the first player ever to win with two rounds of 65 or better on the weekend. His score of 129 over the final 36-holes is the lowest in PGA Championship history.

Morikawa will rise to No. 5 in the world rankings with his win, just 14 months into his pro career. The PGA Championship was his 27th start as a pro; he now has four wins and only one missed cut.

In a field that included 95 of the top-100 players in the world, Morikawa led everyone this week in strokes gained: putting, driving accuracy, and proximity to the hole. The only blemish on his round came at the trophy celebration when the silver lid of the Wanamaker Trophy fell to the ground when he hoisted it into the air.

For much of the round, Morikawa was simply part of a crowded leaderboard. Seven players held a share of the lead at one point on the back-nine, creating a mad dash over the closing holes. Morikawa separated from the pack with a chip-in birdie from 54 feet off the front of the green on the 14th. Two holes later, he made history.

He’s the best young player on the tour right now and on a similar career trajectory as the greats of the game. Counting his amateur events, he was making his 29th start on the PGA Tour this week. In his 29th start, Woods won the 1997 Masters for his first major championship.

Morikawa is another California kid with the game to compete against anyone. He has his whole career in front of him. His mishandling of the trophy on Sunday served as good practice for the future. It likely won’t be the last time he’s lifting one on a major championship Sunday.