Collin Morikawa’s Coach Reveals One Habit Most Golfers Ignore
PEBBLE BEACH, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Collin Morikawa of the United States looks on at 16th hole during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2026 on February 15, 2026 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire GOLF: FEB 15 PGA, Golf Herren AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602150234
PEBBLE BEACH, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Collin Morikawa of the United States looks on at 16th hole during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2026 on February 15, 2026 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire GOLF: FEB 15 PGA, Golf Herren AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602150234
Most amateur golfers think they know what is wrong with their game. But according to Collin Morikawa’s coach, Rick Sessinghaus, that belief is often based on guesswork.
Speaking on The Rough Cut Golf Podcast with Peter Finch, Sessinghaus addressed a common mistake. Finch said, “I think most golfers… generally say, ‘Oh, I need to be better at putting.’ But I don’t think they have any metrics, right?” Sessinghaus agreed that without data, those conclusions lack proof.
“The reality… it is game changing,” he said about tracking stats. “Keeping stats makes it so much easier to actually understand where the issues are.”
Sessinghaus has coached Morikawa since childhood. Morikawa won the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship and is considered one of the best iron players in the world. Instead of guessing, he bases his performance on measurable feedback.
PGA, Golf Herren AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Final Round Feb 15, 2026 Pebble Beach, California, USA Collin Morikawa chips on at the 17th green during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Pebble Beach Pebble Beach Golf Links California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKiyoshixMiox 20260215_mio_ma1_011
PGA, Golf Herren AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Final Round Feb 15, 2026 Pebble Beach, California, USA Collin Morikawa chips on at the 17th green during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Pebble Beach Pebble Beach Golf Links California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKiyoshixMiox 20260215_mio_ma1_011
Sessinghaus also noted why many amateurs avoid tracking numbers. “A lot of people might just have one chance to play at the weekend, and they just want to go out and enjoy themselves… their goal might just be to break 100 or break 90,” Sessinghaus explained.
His message was simple: stop guessing. If you are not measuring your fairways hit, greens in regulation, or up-and-down percentages, you are basically practicing without a clear goal.
This data-driven approach has been one of the main reasons for Morikawa's success of late.
Framework of Rick Sessinghaus Behind Collin Morikawa’s Consistency
Collin Morikawa’s 2026 Pebble Beach victory snapped a winless run that stretched back to the 2023 ZOZO Championship.
Morikawa took the lead in the third round with a 10-under 62 and won the title by a single stroke over Min Woo Lee and Sepp Straka.
Morikawa was able to keep up the game spirit of the last round and thus he distinguished himself from the rest of the field by isolating into a flow state and nailing the critical shots toward the end.
The foundation behind the win remained the same. Morikawa has consistently ranked among PGA Tour leaders in Strokes Gained: Approach. The difference came in handling pressure moments and converting scoring opportunities.
Sessinghaus has continued refining both his swing mechanics and structured mental training, elements that were clearly visible in this victory.
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Written by
Dolly Bhamrick
Edited by
Oajaswini Prabhu