The lingering back injury of Collin Morikawa is garnering headlines ahead of the 2026 Masters at Augusta National. The two-time major champion isn’t the only player catching the eye of patrons and journalists during Masters Week.
Here’s a look at the top stories leaking from Augusta that could help inform your Masters picks ahead of Thursday's opening round.
Collin Morikawa taking it day by day
There are two things crystal clear about Collin Morikawa leading into this year's Masters:
- He’s not 100% healthy
- His odds would be significantly lower if he were
Morikawa was the hottest player on the planet before he tweaked his back on his second hole of THE PLAYERS in March, and he hasn’t played since.
The two-time major champion hit 54 balls at the tournament practice area across to range sessions on Monday, and topped out at 284 yards carry and 171 mph ball speed during his first visit.
It was a similar routine on Tuesday, with Morikawa hitting 45 shots and topping out at 280 yards carry and 172 mph ball speed.
There’s more to glean from his comments than his range sessions:
Collin Morikawa on his back:
— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) April 6, 2026
"The honest truth is I'm taking it day by day. It's not exactly where I want to be, and it's unfortunate, but that's just the body, and I can't push it. It's been a little bit of a mental battle, I think, just trying to trust with where it's at. The… pic.twitter.com/n8VoweLbkI
Simply put, Morikawa would be a tremendous risk if this injury weren’t priced into his odds. While I wouldn’t fault anyone for cashing out a Morikawa bet, if the option is available, I’m sticking with him because I still believe he can contend at less than 100%.
Tommy Fleetwood putting 9-wood in the bag
While this might not jump off the page as huge news, don’t be shocked when more players begin removing long irons in favor of 7- and 9-woods in the coming years. Or, as I like to call them: heaven and fine woods.
The loft of these higher woods increases the ball flight in comparison to low irons, and a high-trejectory shot is beneficial on approach shots. A lot of players will also claim the woods have more forgiveness and versatility.
I think it’s a strong strategic decision from Fleetwood, but what I’m most curious to see is whether the Englishman will opt to use the 9-wood around any greens instead of chipping more traditionally with a wedge, which is another growing trend that might be in play more and more in the coming years.
Chris Gotterup is flag hunting
With three wins in his past 16 events, including being the only two-time PGA Tour winner in 2026, Chris Gotterup is hitting Augusta National for the first time.
He played with Justin Rose, a three-time Masters runner-up, on Monday, and Gotterup was cited to be flag hunting with a long iron in hand on No. 5 and No. 6, according to PGA Tour staff writer Paul Hodowanic.
