Collin Morikawa is making a caddie change—again.
The two-time major champion has parted ways with Joe Greiner after five events. Greiner was Max Homa’s long-time caddie before the two split earlier this year. Greiner then filled in for Justin Thomas and was on his bag when he won the RBC Heritage.
“Look, when I split with J.J. Jakovac, I had him except for one tournament my entire career and you get used to that. J.J.’s an amazing caddie and I wish him all the best,” Morikawa said Wednesday at Detroit Golf Club. “So when I leave that, it’s a process for me to find because I only know one way. I think people, they’re going to be surprised but the way I put it is just because two people are great at what they do doesn’t mean they’re going to be great together.
“I think Joe is an amazing caddie, but I think just the way we kind of saw things or just day to day how we kind of went about it, we were just a little bit on a different page. That doesn’t mean it’s right or wrong, but for me it just didn’t feel right. I have to explore other options.”
Morikawa, the world No. 5, will have his former teammate at Cal, K.K. Limbhasut, looping for him at this week’s Rocket Classic. Limbhasut has made nine Korn Ferry Tour starts this year and is No. 159 in the season-long standings.
The news was first reported by Golfweek. Morikawa was scheduled to meet the media Wednesday afternoon, but he was quoted beforehand, saying he’ll explain the split after he finishes his pro-am round.
In his pre-tournament presser, the 28-year-old expressed his disappointment with the initial report.
“I’m not here to tell people how to do their jobs,” Morikawa said, “but I don’t get why you would make me sound bad because you put out my quote that I was playing with pro-am partners out front. Those guys are paying a lot of money, they’re very important to the community, they’re very important to the Rocket Classic, and for you to put out a quote like that to put me down and saying, 'hey, wait two and a half hours,' I mean, you called me up on the first tee, you know?
“I’m not going to tell you how to do your job, you can write whatever you want, this is America, but don’t put me down like that because it’s two and a half hours.”
There has been friction between Morikawa and the media this season, most notably after he skipped talking to the press after his runner-up finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and then doubled down on his decision at the Players Championship.
Meanwhile, Morikawa has not finished inside the top 15 since hiring Greiner. And after a rough stretch, he’s hoping to find a spark with somebody new carrying his bag.
“[This season] started off great,” Morikawa said. “Even though I haven’t won yet this year, it started off very strong. Over the past let’s call it two months, just haven’t been amazing. I can point at certain parts of my game, but to me, it all comes down to my ball-striking.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Collin Morikawa Splits With Caddie Joe Greiner After Five Events Together .
