A Triumphant Return for Morikawa at the 2023 ZOZO Championship
After a two-year hiatus from the winner's circle, Collin Morikawa has made a spectacular return to form by clinching the 2023 ZOZO Championship. The young golfer, whose last tour win was at the 2021 Open Championship, demonstrated his prowess and potential yet again on the global stage.
Commanding Performance
Morikawa's victory was nothing short of dominant. He finished the tournament with a remarkable 14-under par, securing a six-shot lead over the nearest competitors. This impressive margin underscored his mastery throughout the event, which took place from October 19 to October 22. Notable participants such as Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler were in the field, adding prestige to Morikawa's triumph.
Lucrative Earnings
The ZOZO Championship boasted an $8.5 million purse, reflecting the high stakes and the elite level of competition. Morikawa's share amounted to $1,530,000—a fitting reward for his exceptional play. The substantial prize pot ensured that every golfer who teed up was compensated, as the tournament featured no cut, allowing all participants to earn prize money.
Runner-Ups and Top Finishers
Eric Cole and Beau Hossler claimed the runner-up spots, each finishing the tournament with a commendable 8-under par. Their performance earned them a handsome payout of $748,000 each. Close behind, Ryo Ishikawa and Robby Shelton shared fourth place, each carding 7-under par to take home $374,000 apiece.
The battle for sixth place saw a four-way tie between Kensei Hirata, Ryo Hisatsune, Min Woo Lee, and J.J. Spaun, all of whom finished at 6-under par. Each player received a check for $275,187.50. Emiliano Grillo and Justin Suh, who tied for tenth place at 5-under par, were not far off, earning $221,000 each for their efforts.
Further down the leaderboard, Cam Davis, Sungjae Im, and Satoshi Kodaira ended the tournament in a tie for twelfth place with a score of 4-under par, each pocketing $178,500. Matt NeSmith rounded out the top fifteen, finishing at 3-under par and earning $151,640.
The Rest of the Field
The payouts continued down the line, with Yuki Inamori, Kurt Kitayama, and Taylor Montgomery tying for sixteenth place at 2-under par, each taking home $133,960. Keegan Bradley and Sahith Theegala tied for nineteenth place at 1-under, earning $112,710 each.
Golfers who finished at even-par were tied for twenty-first place, receiving $73,610 each, while those tied for thirty-first place at 1-over par had earnings around $46,167. Players tied for thirty-eighth place at 2-over par each earned $36,210, and those in forty-first place at 3-over took home $27,710 each.
A score of 4-over led to a tie for forty-eighth place, with golfers earning $20,230 each. Players tied for fifty-first place at 5-over par received $17,743.75 each, and those tied for fifty-ninth place at 6-over par earned $16,490 each. The payouts extended to those tied for sixty-fourth place at 7-over par, who took home $15,725 each, and those tied for sixty-eighth place at 8-over par, who earned $15,045 each.
Hayden Buckley, who placed seventy-second at 9-over par, was awarded $14,620. The seventy-third place tie at 10-over par resulted in earnings of $14,280 for each involved player. Tyson Alexander, who placed seventy-sixth at 11-over par, secured $13,940, while Ben Taylor, finishing seventy-seventh at 20-over par, earned $13,770.
Inclusive Payout Structure
The ZOZO Championship's payout structure is designed to be inclusive, ensuring that all players are rewarded for their participation. It's a model that supports competitiveness and inclusivity within the sport, guaranteeing that even those who do not make it to the top of the leaderboard still receive compensation for their efforts.