Collin Morikawa lashes out at reporter at press conference: ‘Don’t put me down’

Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa had a contentious conversation with a reporter during a press conference prior to the Rocket Classic on Wednesday. 

Morikawa, 28, took issue with a quote that Golfweek reporter Adam Schupak put in his story about Morikawa’s recent caddie change.

Schupak wrote a story covering Morikawa’s caddie change, and said it was unclear who Morikawa would have as his caddie permanently going forward. Schupak included this quote from Morikawa in the story. 

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Collin Morikawa watches on the 18th green during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament on June 13, 2025, in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.  (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

“Ask me anything you want in my press conference later. I’m with my pro-am partners now,” was the quote Schupak used from Morikawa in his story. 

When Schupak asked Morikawa at the press conference about who will caddie for him at the British Open, the golfer used the question to take issue with Schupak’s use of his quote in the story. 

“I don’t. And I read your article that you wrote. Look, I’m not here to tell people how to do their jobs, but I don’t get why you would make me sound bad because you put out my quote that I was playing with pro-am partners out front,” Morikawa said.

“Those guys are paying a lot of money, they’re very important to the community, they’re very important to the Rocket Classic, and for you to put out a quote like that to put me down and saying, ‘Hey, wait two and a half hours.’ I mean, you called me up on the first tee, you know?”

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Collin Morikawa plays his shot from the first tee during the second round of the Travelers Championship on June 20, 2025. (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

“I’m not going to tell you how to do your job; you can write whatever you want. This is America. But don’t put me down like that because it’s two and a half hours, Adam.”

Schupak said he thought he was giving Morikawa credit because he noted that Morikawa was focused on his pro-am partners. However, Morikawa told Schupak that that’s not how he read it. 

“OK, we can all read it very differently. That’s not how I read it,” Morikawa said.

“But I’m just telling you, I think there’s a perspective where people can read it like that. So, I’m just going to leave it at that. We knew I was going to have media in two and a half hours. I’m on the first tee meeting my pro-am partners as they’re teeing off.”

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Collin Morikawa waits to hit on the third tee during the first round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on June 26, 2025. (Aaron Doster-Imagn Images)

After Morikawa commented at the press conference, Schupak deleted Morikawa’s original quote and updated the story with a new quote. 

It is not the first time Morikawa has ruffled feathers with the media this season, as his comments at The Masters made waves. 

Morikawa is currently tied for 35th at the Rocket Classic at the Detroit Golf Club as three-under par for the day. At the time of this writing, Min Woo Lee was leading the tournament after he shot nine-under par in the first round. 

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