The reason Collin Morikawa has had nine different partners while representing Team USA, ‘he’s uncomfortable’

Kevin Kisner believes that Collin Morikawa has had so many different partners across his Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup career largely due to the fact that he is not an elite putter.

Morikawa will get the opportunity to play alongside his ninth different partner in just 15 fourball and foursomes matches on Thursday, with Brandt Snedeker pairing the two-time major champion with Wyndham Clark for the opening session at Medinah.

To some, it is a sign that Morikawa is one of those players who can be paired with virtually everyone. He does boast an outstanding record in the Presidents Cup, having won six of his eight matches so far.

However, Kevin Kisner has suggested that there may be a reason that Morikawa has not established a partnership that Team USA can bank on every year.

Speaking on the Fore Play Podcast, Kisner claimed that Morikawa’s ability to do everything well actually hurts him in the fourballs.

“I don’t think he’s ever really got on a run with a guy that’s made a bunch of teams where they’ve won. You saw with the Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed thing, the Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns thing, it just feels like it fits. It’s never been like Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa have played six matches together and won four of them. He just continues to not have a great success rate with anybody over and over again. He’s such a steady player,” he said.

It seems he will be in attendance this weekend

“When you think about Collin Morikawa, nothing blows your head off about what he does. He drives it pretty good, he irons it great, chips it pretty good, putts it great. You kind of need one in a team match to really excel. And if you just go along with four birdies and two bogeys in best ball, it works out okay over the course of four days, you’re probably going to get smashed in a team event.

“He’s more of an alt-shot guy for me. His putting has never been consistent enough that I’ve watched, even at Bethpage, I walked with him the first couple of matches, they don’t make any of the mid-range putts. There’s a huge momentum swing in team matches. He just never seems to make those, and it looks like he’s uncomfortable putting in a team match.”

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In fairness to Morikawa, he was the fourth best player on the PGA Tour for strokes gained approach this season. So it would be unfair to suggest that he is anything other than elite from tee to green.

However, Morikawa was hugely disappointing at the 2025 Ryder Cup. It was a far cry from the same event four years earlier when he went unbeaten from his four matches, contributing 3.5 points.

Three of those points came alongside Dustin Johnson. And Kisner suggested that Johnson is indeed the ideal partner for someone like Morikawa.

“I feel like Collin Morikawa needs, I know he can’t play for us, but a Dustin Johnson type of guy, that might make nine birdies, four doubles and a par, and Collin’s just going to be there hanging out. He might throw a couple of birdies in on those holes. That’s the type of player he needs in a fourball situation. And in alternate shot, you’ve got to make putts because you just don’t get in a rhythm putting. That’s the hardest part of alternate shot, you may go seven holes without hitting a putt,” he said.

Team USA need to find a way to get more out of their best players. Neither Scheffler nor Morikawa has impressed in recent years when representing their country.

It seems so important that this Presidents Cup is a turning point if they are going to stand any chance at the Ryder Cup next year.

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