Collin Morikawa’s Masters Fight, Mental Scars From Back Spasms Still Linger

Collin Morikawa’s opening round at Augusta turned into a test of both body and mind after the American admitted he was battling the lingering effects of back spasms that forced him out of THE PLAYERS Championship. He carded a 2-over 74 in the first round of the Masters, but the score only told part of the story because the bigger fight was about trust, movement, and fear.

Morikawa said the back no longer hurts, yet the injury has left him dealing with mental scars that have been harder to shake than the physical pain. He described the round as perhaps the most difficult of his career and said the issue has created a constant doubt about whether the problem could return during a swing.

A round shaped by uncertainty

Morikawa entered the tournament without a clear idea of what his game would produce. He had not hit more than 50 range balls per day in the buildup, and he said even simple movement remained uncomfortable as walking still felt difficult.

That lack of comfort changed how he swung the club. His motion was reduced, his power was below normal, and the usual rhythm that has helped him win major titles never fully arrived.

He opened with six pars before dropping a shot at the seventh hole. Another bogey followed at the ninth, and although he answered with even par through the demanding 10th and 11th holes, the push never fully turned into a run.

Mental pressure became the main opponent

Morikawa said the hardest part was not the swing itself, but the hesitation that comes from remembering the injury at THE PLAYERS. He admitted to feeling more nervous than he ever had before a round of golf, even with major championship experience.

“I’ve never felt this nervous, like, in my life,” Morikawa said. “I’ve played in majors. I’ve played in other events. I think it’s a trust factor, right?”

That trust factor has been central to his recovery. The 2-time major champion explained that the earlier incident left him questioning whether pain or spasms could return at any moment, and that uncertainty can interrupt the flow of a round before the club even moves.

How the Masters round unfolded

Morikawa’s card reflected a day of small survival moves rather than full control. He tried to create momentum with a birdie at the 13th, but a bogey on the next hole quickly pushed him back to 2-over and left him needing steadier play to stay in the championship.

He later said the mind can steer a player in the wrong direction if doubt takes over. That challenge matters at Augusta National, where precision and confidence often separate the leaders from those fighting just to make the cut.

1. He arrived still recovering from spinal spasms.
2. He entered the round without confidence in his tee shot.
3. He managed to stay composed through the opening stretch.
4. He finished with enough damage to leave work ahead.

Morikawa’s own comments made clear that the struggle was deeper than score alone. “The mind is a powerful, powerful thing,” he said, underlining how quickly fear can influence performance at the highest level.

What the result means going forward

The opening round left Morikawa in a position where he needs a strong second round to avoid an early exit. That adds pressure to a player who is still trying to rebuild confidence while managing a body that does not yet feel fully ready.

He said he hoped to find some luck and figure something out over the remaining rounds, but the larger challenge remains getting past the psychological block created by the injury. For Morikawa, the Masters is now as much a test of belief as it is of ball striking, and the next 18 holes will show whether that trust returns quickly enough to keep his tournament alive.