For PGA champ Collin Morikawa, Masters brings old routine to a new course

Collin Morikawa is the most recent player to play his first Masters Tournament after winning the PGA Championship.

Shaun Micheel did it in 2003 ahead of the 2004 Masters, Rich Beem did it in 2002 before his 2003 Masters debut and Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship in 2011 to get a bid into the 2012 Masters.

None, however, made their debut at a fall Masters.

Photos: Tuesday Masters Practice

Morikawa had already qualified for the scheduled spring Masters before his PGA Championship win in August . Now he will come into this Masters with the same thrill of being called a major champion winner, just like those before him who played the tournament during its normal April date.

“To be called a major champion by other guys, by other people, friends, whatever it may be, it's a good feeling,” Morikawa said. “You know why majors are circled in their calendars and why I'm going to circle them in my calendar now. It doesn't mean it's going to translate into amazing golf the next week or the month after.”

Morikawa said he came into this week preparing like he has for any other tournament.

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“But for me, it's just to come out here and do my prep work,” Morikawa said. “I don't know what scores are going to be like. I don't know how other guys are going to play, but all I can do is put my best foot forward and see what happens.”

Like Micheel in 2004, Morikawa comes into his first Masters with little course knowledge.

Micheel doesn’t think lack of Masters experience will create any advantages or disadvantages because of it being held in the fall instead of the spring.

“As a non-competing person, I’m excited to see what they’ve been able to do with the golf course and what they’ve been able to do to mitigate a fall (setting),” Micheel said. “I’m interested to see how they set the golf course up and what the players strategy is.”

Morikawa said will make adjustments throughout play, just as he would at any other course.

“You know, I think what's cool about golf is that you have to adjust,” Morikawa said. “And, you know, my caddie, J.J., could have had these lines from, whatever, five years ago, three years ago, and said this is the line, but with wind, with rain, with where the tees might be, it's just about adjusting and figure out what the line might be for that day.”

Though he doesn’t have previous Masters experience to draw upon , Morikawa isn’t worried about teeing off in Thursday’s opening round. Anything he doesn’t pick up on through Wednesday, he’ll rely on his caddie. From there, he’ll adjust with every shot, every day he’s competing.

“I think on a Monday through Wednesday, I can figure out a course well enough to show up on Thursday and be ready to play golf,” Morikawa said.