Greed Can Cost You A Green Jacket

Greed can get in the way of success.

A recent title in Golf reads, “How ‘greed’ derailed this Masters co-leader’s green-jacket dreams.”

Last April, Collin Morikawa started the final round of the 88th Masters in a strong position, just one stroke behind the leader, Scottie Scheffler. After a solid performance in the third round, where he made four birdies and demonstrated excellent play, Morikawa continued his steady performance into Sunday. He managed to make seven straight pars, bringing him even with Scheffler. Things were looking even better when he made his first birdie of the day on the par-5 8th hole.

However, things took a turn for the worse on the 9th hole. After a poor tee shot into the trees, Morikawa tried to recover without losing a stroke, aiming for an ambitious shot. His attempt landed him in a deep bunker near the green. Trying to fix his trouble without further penalty, his first attempt from the sand was too aggressive, causing the ball to roll back to his feet. It took him another shot from the bunker and two putts to finish the hole, resulting in a double bogey.

Trying to regain his composure, Morikawa made a par on the 10th hole but faltered again on the 11th. After a good tee shot, he attempted a risky approach to the green, which was guarded by a pond. His shot ended up in the water, leading to another double-bogey.

Reflecting on his performance, Morikawa explained where things went wrong:

“I got greedy,” Morikawa said after his round. “When you’re playing really good, you don’t get greedy, and I got greedy on 9, I got greedy on 11. I wasn’t pressing; I just was trying to hit it a little bit too close, and greed can get the best of us.”

 

Biblical Texts:

  • Proverbs 15:27 (The dangers of greed)
  • Luke 12:15 (Warning against greed)
  • 1 Timothy 6:9-10 (The love of money as a root of evil)
  • James 1:14-15 (Desires leading to sin)
  • Philippians 4:11-12 (Contentment in all circumstances)

Source:

  • Alan Bastable, “How ‘greed’ derailed this Masters co-leader’s green-jacket dreams,” Golf, April 2024.