Collin Morikawa pledged $1,000 per each birdie he makes in the playoffs to aid recovery in Maui, where wildfires claimed the lives of at least 36 people and active recovery missions continue Thursday.
Most of the village of Lahaina was destroyed, and surrounding communities were devastated. The number of casualties is expected to rise, President Joe Biden said Thursday afternoon in declaring a national emergency.
“Maui has always held a special place in my heart — my grandfather owned a restaurant called The Morikawa Restaurant, on Front Street in Lahaina,” Morikawa said in an Instagram post. “The people of Hawaii are going to need all the support that we can give them. During the course of the playoffs, I’m going to donate $1,000 for every birdie that I make.”
The FedEx Cup playoffs began Thursday in Memphis. Morikawa birdied four of his first 12 holes.
The playoffs continue for a total of 12 rounds through the PGA Tour Championship at East Lake Country Club in Atlanta.
Morikawa, 26, said he hasn’t identified how exactly his donation will be directed, whether an organization, town or group of residents.
“The recency of these events means we haven’t identified the best place for the funds to go yet but as the situation evolves,” Morikawa wrote, “I’ll share the beneficiary to highlight the recovery work they’ll be doing and how you can also support.”
The PGA Tour plays multiple events in Hawaii including a high-purse signature event on Maui, The Sentry. The tournament is held at the Plantation Course at Kapalua, where Morikawa finished in a tie for second earlier this year. In four starts there, he’s never finished worse than T7.
Morikawa said he still has a significant amount of family on the Big Island. His family emigrated to Maui from Japan, and his paternal grandparents were born and raised in Maui. They have since moved to California.
–Field Level Media