For comments: ben.alberstadt@golfwrx.com

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Collin Morikawa returned to the winner’s circle with a win at the Zozo Championship over the weekend.

1. Morikawa rolls in Japan for first win since 2021

AP report…”American Colin Morikawa called winning the Zozo Championship in Japan “incredible,” a special way to close the season for a player whose great grandparents emigrated from the country.”

• “But more important was a victory — anywhere, any victory — after a 27-month winless streak on the PGA Tour that started prompting questions about his game.”

• “He broke through Sunday with a 7-under par 63 for a six-shot victory at the Narashino Country Club just outside Tokyo.”

2. Minjee claims her 10th

Via the LPGA communications team…”For the second straight week on the LPGA Tour, 72 holes couldn’t decide a winner of the BMW Ladies Championship. But as the dust settled on Sunday at Seowon Hills, a familiar face rose to the occasion to earn her 10th Tour victory and first in the Republic of Korea, Minjee Lee. Lee, who won her second playoff appearance of the season, found herself in the winner’s circle for the second time in three events after claiming her first win of the season at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G this past September. Lee defeated Alison Lee on the first playoff hole, but it took an effort to getting to the 73rd hole.”

3. Meronk statement win?

Golf Digest’s John Huggan…”In the wake of his highly controversial exclusion from the recent European Ryder Cup team, Adrian Meronk spoke of using his deep disappointment as motivation going forward. And he is already proving to be as good as his word. Playing the last 16 holes of his Sunday final round in eight under par, the Pole claimed his fourth DP World Tour title at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters.”

• “Perhaps more importantly, Meronk’s victory and the 710 ranking points that came with it hoisted the lanky 30-year old into third place on the tour’s Race to Dubai standing and, by just 1.8 points, relegated New Zealander Ryan Fox into fourth spot.”

4. RIP, Betsy Rawls

AP report…”Rawls, who won eight majors in her 55 LPGA Tour titles, died Saturday at her beach home in Delaware, the LPGA Tour confirmed. She was 95.”

• “There are simply not many careers that can compare to Betsy’s,” said Mike Whan, the CEO of the USGA and former LPGA Tour commissioner.

• “He cited her 55 wins and eight majors — Rawls ranks sixth on both lists — along with her induction into the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame, the Bob Jones Award and her 17 years as tournament director of what was then the LPGA Championship.”

5. Brooks vs. Bryson…in the ring?

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”But what if the two golf heavyweights faced off inside the boxing ring? It could happen after listening to Koepka’s recent appearance on the “BS w/ Jake Paul” podcast.”

• “Paul, a YouTube star and professional boxer, started by asking Koepka if there were any golfers with whom he had beef with, to which Koepka responded, “I had the big thing with Bryson.”

• “Paul then posed a potential boxing match between Koepka and DeChambeau, which seemed to spark some interest.”

• “Yeah, you gonna promote it?” Koepka asked Paul.

• “I’m down,” Paul replied. “I’ll put a $1 million purse up for each fighter, plus pay-per-view backing.”

6. Crushers win LIV team event

AP report…”Anirban Lahiri shot a 7-under 65 and Bryson DeChambeau delivered the theatrics on the back nine of the Blue Monster to lead the Crushers to a 2-shot victory over the RangeGoats in the LIV Golf team championship Sunday at Trump Doral.”

• “The scores from all four players on every team counted in the final event of LIV Golf’s second season, and the Crushers were in control for almost all of the back nine and led by 4 shots as the final group reached the 18th hole.”

7. Glover upset over ‘splintered’ U.S. Ryder Cup locker room

Max Schreiber for Golf Channel…”Lucas Glover, who wasn’t in Italy but was a strong candidate for a U.S. captain’s pick after rattling off back-to-back wins in August, gathered some intel about Team USA’s rift and was heartbroken about what he heard.”

• “It broke my heart the week after to hear about how splintered the room was and things about money and different things,” Glover told SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio this week. “That’s not at all what the Ryder Cup stands for. And I’m not just going on what I’ve read and been told, I’ve talked to some people who were there in the fight, and it breaks my heart to hear that because that’s not what it’s about, that’s not what it stands for and it’s not why I want to play on that team.”

8. Berkshire wins third World Long Drive Championship

John Turnbull for Bunkered…”Kyle Berkshire won a third World Long Drive championship on Sunday, as bunkered’s James Tait was edged out in the semi-finals.

• “The 2023 final was agonisingly close, with just one yard separating Berkshire and compatriot Sean Johnson at the Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta.”

• “Berkshire, who won the title in 2019 and 2021, beat Johnson with a 398-yard drive from his six attempts.”

9. Winning WITB: Collin Morikawa

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Rocket 3 (14 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX

5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (4), P7MC (5-6), P7CM (7-PW)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-08LB), TaylorMade MG4 TW (60)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: TaylorMade TP Soto

Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 1.0

Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord

Ball: TaylorMade TP5X