Former champion Collin Morikawa is continuing his search for the perfect partner, having recently dismissed his current caddy after just five tournaments. Why is this so important, and will it actually lead to a turnaround in the athlete’s game?
The Dismissal of Joe Greiner
Joe Greiner has barely had time to bed in as the caddy for two-time major champion Collin Morikawa. Yet, after just five tournaments, it was announced that he has been let go. Morikawa brought in a temporary caddy for the Rocket Classic, the veteran KK Limbhasut. The split was announced after the last Travelers Championship. In this, Morikawa ended in a disappointing tie for 42nd place.
The tournament at the Detroit Golf Club did have him down as the favourite. This was eventually won by Aldrich Potgieter in his maiden outing. Despite his patchy form, and some issues putting at the Rocket, he remains in the top contenders for many of the upcoming events he is in. This includes his odds for the US Open where he is currently 25/1. This is against some stiff competition.
Morikawa’s Previous Caddies
Source: Pexels
J Jakovac had been Morikawa’s original caddy. He had taken him through his switch to a professional game in 2019. This led the pair to pick up the 2020 PGA Championship and the subsequent year 2021 Open Championship. Undoubtedly, this will have made his five-year tenure hard to follow, although many had assumed this partnership would have run at least a little longer.
At the time, Morikawa had said that something had just felt off when he dismissed Jakovac. At May’s Truist Championship, he had hoped that making a change for Greiner would have allowed him more ownership of his game.
Upcoming Tournaments
This crisis of faith has had a marked impact on Morikawa’s outlook for tournaments further afield than the Rocket Classic. The 2025 British Open has Scottie Scheffler at the head of the pack with golf odds of 9/2. While the Open has provided some of his worst results so far, he is still the world number one and on his game.
Rory McIlroy is second in contention at 15/2. He is a golfer on a run at the moment, but a home crowd could put the pressure on him. He has buckled under it before and may do it again.
Following this, a host of other golfers are ahead of Morikawa in the betting, who trails at odds of around 25/1. This will be the next of the Majors before it turns into the 2026 tournaments. The only golfer other than Scheffler and McIlroy who has better sports betting 20/1 odds on the futures markets for these is Jon Rahm.
With a third caddy in place, the open will be the real test for Morikawa. If this does not work, then he must look at his game and realise that this may not be the issue. Alternatively, it could break the crisis of confidence and see him become one of the best turnaround stars of the year.
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