Collin Morikawa hires Stephen Sweeney as first-ever putting coach

After the first winless season of his career, Collin Morikawa has added a new member to his team for the first time ever: a putting coach. The two-time major champion began working with instructor Stephen Sweeney at this week’s World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.

Morikawa’s agent, Andrew Kipper, and Sweeney both confirmed the move. Kipper also confirmed that the 25-year-old star has not previously worked with a putting teacher. Irish-born Sweeney is based in Jupiter, Florida. His roster of clients includes Shane Lowry, Aaron Wise, Sebastian Munoz, Joaquin Niemann, Carlos Ortiz and Mito Pereira.

Morikawa’s dissatisfaction with his putting has been evident this year as he changed putters multiple times, most recently at the Presidents Cup. His results have stalled since winning the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai last November. He lost a five-shot lead at the Hero World Challenge two weeks later and in 20 subsequent worldwide starts his best finish is a T-2 at the Genesis Invitational in February. He has recorded four top 10s since the Genesis, including at the Masters and U.S. Open, but no wins. He has fallen to No. 9 in the Official World Golf Ranking from a high of second in April.

Even while racking up PGA Tour and major wins, Morikawa’s putting statistics have remained unflattering. In three seasons since turning professional, he has ranked 128th, 178th and 131st in Strokes Gained: Putting. Through two events this season, he ranks 202nd, although the Zozo Championship did not collect detailed data. At last month’s CJ Cup, he finished the week ranked 77th in putting in a 78-man field.

While flying from the CJ Cup to a TaylorMade commercial shoot in Florida, Morikawa discussed his putting with Wise and texted Sweeney a few days later. The pair spoke at length last Sunday and met the next day.

“We talked Sunday to get a feel for direction then we worked into the darkness in Mayakoba on Monday,” Sweeney told Golfweek. “Tuesday we worked before and after his round and on Wednesday before his pro-am.” They worked mostly on speed control, which Morikawa feels has caused issues for him of late.

In Thursday’s opening round, Morikawa shot an even-par 71 and followed with a bogey-free 63 on Friday. The putting statistics compiled at the World Wide Technologies…