NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- Collin Morikawa's start-and-stop season is a go at the PGA Championship, even while dealing with an occasional cranky back and trying to learn to live with the accompanying uncertainty.
"I wish I was 100% healthy," said Morikawa, who left after the first hole of The Players Championship in March and has since missed two other events. "The body doesn't feel bad; just, it's uncomfortable, and there's a trust factor I'm kind of having to deal with.
"... I can't imagine wanting anyone to deal with it because it's just a very weird feeling of not trusting the body and yet knowing that things are going to be OK. So, it's just taking it day by day, doing what I need to do."
The disappointing exit at TPC Sawgrass came after a great season-opening run. He won at Pebble Beach, finished tied for seventh at The Genesis Invitational and placed fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. A week later, back spasms at The Players knocked him out of the championship, and the back has been a consideration ever since.
Morikawa withdrew from the Texas Open ahead of the Masters and tied for seventh at Augusta National while dealing with back discomfort. The following week -- again with back issues -- he placed fourth at Hilton Head. Two weeks later, he finished down the leaderboard in a tie for 62nd in a signature, no-cut event at Doral.
Morikawa skipped last week's Truist Championship, another signature event. While that wasn't something he originally envisioned, he is learning to adjust on the fly.
"For me, even taking last week off, even though that wasn't really the plan, it's so big to just be able to reset sometimes and then come out and say, 'Oh, man, I'm ready to go.'"
He also is realizing there is more to golf than just his swing and has become more aware of his mental approach to the game as he chases another Wanamaker Trophy.
"The mental game is a big aspect of it," said Morikawa, a two-time major winner. "You're able to push yourself that much farther. Trust me, it was very, very uncomfortable to play the Masters and very uncomfortable to play the week after at Hilton Head, but you just have to keep pushing.
"Whatever the next week or weeks, I'm going to have to just breathe it out after this. Like, I will do everything it takes to play some great golf starting Thursday for four days."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.