Morikawa says ailing back is feeling better, body still in a state of flux

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Collin Morikawa has been hitting balls for about a week after dealing with a back injury, and while the two-time major winner admitted he's "not exactly where I want to be," he plans to be standing on the first tee box for his sixth Masters on Thursday. "It's unfortunate," Morikawa said, "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 back actually feels fine. It's just other parts of the body not cooperating a little bit how I want." The world's No. 7 player withdrew after one hole at The Players Championship because of back spasms, and he didn't play at the Texas Open last week, choosing instead to get treatment in the hopes of being ready for Augusta National. Morikawa has made the cut in each of his appearances, tying for third in 2024 and finishing in the top 10 three times. "This isn't a place where you want to be uncomfortable, but sometimes you've got to find other ways to get around a golf course," he said. "It's a work in progress. But each day just staying positive, trying to get through it." Negotiating tactics Scottie Scheffler and his wife, Meredith, recently welcomed their second child, Remy, news that did not come out for about nine days. In the case of Bennett, their 2-year-old, the couple waited five days before announcing his birth in an Instagram post. There is a very simple reason for the delay. "There's no reason that my kids need to be on TV or on my Instagram or whatever it is," the two-time Masters champion said Tuesday. "I feel like my kids need to have a normal upbringing, or as normal as I can, and we'll go from there." That "normal upbringing" could prove to be a challenge. Their dad happens to be one of the biggest stars in golf, if not all of sports, and he's recognized just about everywhere he goes. He has more than $100 million in career earnings. "Bennett is still 2," Scheffler said, "so the hard parenting hasn't really started yet. It's more bargaining at this point." What kind of bargaining? "Last night we were leaving a Nike party and he somehow ended up with two sugar cookies, and he hadn't eaten his dinner yet," Scheffler said. "It was like, 'Alright, buddy, if you eat these sausages, I will give you this cookie.' He's like, 'Cookie!' I'm like, 'If you eat this.' My buddies are sitting there watching — 'Yep, I've seen this movie before.' It's bargaining." Tee times Masters rookie John Keefer and Haotong Li will be the first pair off on Thursday once Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson hit the ceremonial first tee shots, while most of the featured groups begin their rounds a couple of hours later. The tee times were released on Tuesday. Defending champion Rory McIlroy, red-hot Cameron Young and U.S. Amateur champ Mason Howell are in a group at 10:31 a.m. local time. Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele are two groups ahead of them, while Morikawa, former champion Hideki Matsuyama and Russell Henley are sandwiched in between. World No. 1 Scheffler is in the penultimate group alongside Robert MacIntyre, who tied for second last week in Texas, and Gary Woodland, whose comeback from a brain lesion included a win two weeks ago in Houston. Mind the gap Two clubs that were key to McIlroy winning the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam are no longer with him. Augusta National asks its champions to donate a club of particular importance, and that was the 7-iron used to hit a sweeping draw around a tree and over the pond to 6 feet on the par-5 15th. McIlroy's manager, Sean O'Flaherty, handed it over Sunday night without him knowing it, until he showed up at the Zurich Classic two weeks later with 13 clubs in his bag. The other missing club is the gap wedge McIlroy hit to 3 feet in the playoff for the birdie to beat Justin Rose. That club currently resides in the USGA Museum in New Jersey but soon will make its way to Pinehurst, North Carolina, as part of an exhibition the World Golf Hall of Fame plans for a display commemorating winners of the career Grand Slam. ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf