Collin Morikawa survived a tough round with many big names to secure his first major title after finishing 6 under 64, reaching 13 under at his first appearance at the US PGA Championship. Paul Casey finished two shots behind, followed by world number 4, Dustin Johnson in third place.

The day started with the overnight leader, Johnson, with the lead followed closely by Brooks Koepka and nobody could have guessed that someone like Morikawa would cause an upset. He trailed Johnson, scoring 3 birdies in the first 10 holes. He was the first player to break into 11 under after playing a birdie at the 14th hole. Soon after, Casey joined him at 11 under.

Morikawa then got to the 16th hole and hit one of the best shots ever seen in a US PGA Championship event. His ball travelled 294 yards, putting it just 7 feet within the final hole. He then finished it off with an eagle and sealed his victory.

Speaking after the game, the 23-year old, who gets the cash prize of $1.9million, described his win as feeling in “cloud nine”. He also mentioned how the win has given him a bit more confidence and momentum, offering him a taste of what is to come later on.

For Morikawa, winning the title is almost like fulfilling a childhood dream as it is something he has been looking forward to. He said, “as a little kid, watching all these professionals, this is always what I’ve wanted to do.” To understand where he is coming from, Morikawa was just 4 years old when Paul Casey, who he led with 2 shots to win the title, won his first European Tour title back in 2001.

Casey later commented on Morikawa’s shot at the 16th, describing it as awesome and saying, “there’s nothing you can do except tip your cap to that.”

Written by: Leon Osamor