First European Tour series victory for an American

Jon Rahm, Paul Casey, Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa are just a few of the big names dominating the final scoreboard of the European Tour for 2021.  Lesser known names such as Garrick Higgo and Dean Burmeester from South Africa pop-up in between.  They clinched the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open and the Canary Islands Championship as well as the Tenerife Open in Spain this season.  A delighted Higgo won in Tenerife with a spectacular 27-under par, six ahead of Maverick Antcliff in number two spot.

 

Who waltzed home with Europe’s number one spot?

 

With all the great tournaments on the European Tour who waltzed home with the top prize of all as the biggest earner in Europe?  Who was crowned the ‘Race to Dubai’ winner in a season full of chaos around the world due to the COVID pandemic?  It was a season where few spectators, if any, were cheering on their favourite players in the early Spring.

 

A talented young American, Collin Morikawa, a 25-year old from Los Angeles played in just ten European Tour events this year which included the four big Majors as well as a well-balanced selection of US tournaments.  The charming young golfer scooped three victories in Europe among them the Open Championship at Royal St George’s in Sandwich, Kent where he shot 15-under par with rounds of 67, 64, 68 and 66.

 

A tournament with all four rounds below 70 became his trademark in 2021.  Not too surprisingly, his spectacular golf this year won him the enviable ‘Race to Dubai’ trophy.  Collin Morikawa is officially Europe’s number one golfer.  This is the first time that an American has achieved this.  And not only that, he sparkled in Dubai becoming the first American winner of the final of the DP World Tour Championship too.  He birdied five of the last seven holes to close with a 6-under par 66.  The double victory was a fantastic culmination of the silky smoothness and style of Morikawa’s golf.  This young American is without doubt filling the shoes of another all-time golfing great: Tiger Woods.

 

 

Well done, Collin Morikawa!  We salute your impeccable and stylish golf!

 

Wendy Hoad

Editor

 

 

FIND OUT more about Collin Morikawa’s victory HERE.

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: As an American Collin Morikawa is thrilled to become the first ever number one golfer in Europe.