Collin Morikawa branded ‘selfish’ by PGA Tour rival after skipping media duties

American golfer Collin Morikawa has drawn fire from PGA Tour veteran Rocco Mediate, who labeled him “dumb” and “selfish” following his actions at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Morikawa stirred controversy when he skipped his post-round media interviews after relinquishing a late lead on Sunday, despite Russell Henley, the eventual winner, offering him praise saying: “Hats off to Collin. He played great today, super steady.”

Instead of speaking with the press, Morikawa chose to forego his media availability, echoing a similar move by Rory McIlroy at the previous year’s U.S. Open. Addressing his actions ahead of the Players Championship, Morikawa reflected on his frustration post-API: “Like I don’t owe anyone anything. No offense to you guys, but for me in the moment of that time, I didn’t want to be around anyone.

“Like, I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I didn’t need any sorries. I didn’t need any ‘good playings.’ Like, you’re just p—–. Honestly, if it was an hour later I would have talked to you guys, but an hour later I was on my way out to here, because I didn’t want to be in Orlando anymore.

“But I just felt like I put everything I did into the, let’s call it, seven hours of my time being there, right, a few hours before showing up, physio, workout. Look, my entire routine, right. I was just drained. I get it. Like you guys are there to figure out how we played and how things went, but in my perspective, like I just didn’t want to talk to anyone, and I think that’s fair to myself, you know.”

Morikawa might have expected some understanding, but veteran golfer Rocco Mediate, 62, found his actions unsporting and spared no feelings during his commentary on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show.

“Biggest bunch of horses— you could ever say, period,” Mediate said. “I mean, that is the dumbest, most selfish garbage you could ever say. Mr. Palmer would’ve hunted him down. Trust me on that one because he told me one thing, Mr. Palmer told me one thing that stuck with me.

“(He said) ‘You know what, Rock, it’s real easy to go in and talk to somebody when you won or when you’ve played well, but can you do it when you don’t? That’s the key.’ Obviously, he can’t, OK, so stop talking to me about, ‘I didn’t wanna talk to anybody.’

“Your job is to tell people what happened. I don’t give a s— about your workout in the morning and all that other crap. Tell me what happened. You lost? You lost. You got beat? That’s what happens. Guess what? Golf’s hard.”

Morikawa has not yet responded to Mediate, but he will be looking for his performance at the upcoming Players Championship to speak for itself. The 28-year-old golfer boasts six victories on the PGA Tour and two major titles, having won the PGA Championship in 2020 and the Open Championship in 2021.

• Source: NEWHD MEDIA