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Collin Morikawa: Enjoying home comforts ahead of the Genesis Invitational and not tempted by Saudi

The two-time Major Champion is cruising his favourite restaurants this week ahead of the first round at Riviera Country Club.

"It's always nice to be home," said Los Angeles born and bred Collin Morikawa ahead of this week's Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

"It's always comfortable to go back to somewhere you just know everything and I grew up about 30 minutes away.

"Saw my parents, hung out with them. I have my favourite restaurant out here. It's an easy one. There's a Tsujita, but don't go to that one. There's a Tsujita Annex, which is kind of hidden in the bushes. Just be ready to take a nap afterwards. And there's a place called Killer Noodles. If anyone wants to find me this week, I'll be there. It's amazing."
The food recommendations done, he added: "It's the same thing as when I was back in San Francisco, having spent four years out there for school. It's a good feeling."
Should we perhaps take note? Well, consider that his breakthrough PGA Championship triumph came at Harding Park in San Francisco. A tentative conclusion is that a happy Morikawa tummy equals a happy Morikawa on the course.
Maybe, maybe not. In truth, his course record could so with the rough edges being taken off it. Specifically, he'll be hoping that he won't be carding a 73 on both Thursday and Sunday - something he has done in both his two previous tournament appearances, limiting his returns to T26th and T43rd.
"I've played Riv quite a few times now," he said. "We had the U.S. Amateur here in 2017. Played alright. Obviously played a couple of times out here for the Genesis. It's all a learning experience."
If all that sounded a little half-baked he did end with: "This course is one of my favorites out on Tour."
He also revealed that he'd picked up some bad swing habits in Dubai last November and had then contracted Covid before Christmas.
"It happens," he said. "You have (bad) stretches. But you figure it out and you show up to places that you love like here and you feel a lot more confident."

Morikawa on the Saudi golf plans

The World No. 2 was happy to address questions about the big mystery in the game right now. Here are the pick of his answers.
"As it goes to the Saudi stuff, I'm all for the PGA Tour. I've been a pro for two and a half years. My entire life I've thought about the PGA Tour, I've thought about playing against Tiger, beating his records, something that might not even be breakable. I've never thought about anything else, it's always been the PGA Tour.
"Has it opened up things for the PGA Tour to look at what to do better? Absolutely. We've seen a lot of changes, some good, some bad, some that are still going to be amended I'm sure as time goes on.
"Right now, you look at the best players and they're all sticking with the PGA Tour and that's where I kind of stay and that's where I belong. I'm very happy to be here. I just want to compete against the best in the world and right now that's where it is.
"I wanted to find out more details. Yeah, there's money. I don't think anyone's signing up for free, right? So yeah, there was money, but for me it's thinking about where I am today, right? I'm 25, I've got a great life, I've got a great career so far. I'm enjoying it, I'm loving what I'm doing.
"I need concrete evidence. I need to be able to see a sheet in front of me and know what's out there, right? All I've heard are rumours, all I've heard is talk. It's hard to know what exactly is there until I see it concrete and that's just not how I live my life. I need details, I'm really specific about things, and from my end I couldn't get what I needed."

READ MORE: Dustin Johnson: The secret to his success in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club? Grass

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