Collin Morikawa joins U.S. golf team

Collin Morikawa of the United States poses for photographers with the Claret Jug Trophy on the 18th green after winning the British Open Golf Championship at Royal St. George Golf Course in Sandwich, England, Sunday, July 18, 2021. (Photo by The Associated Press/Peter Morrison)

University of California graduate Collin Morikawa will be competing for the United States at the Paris Olympics this summer.

The 27-year-old Morikawa will join fellow French skaters Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Wyndham Clark in France. The 2019 University of California graduate is a familiar presence on the international stage, having placed fourth at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

The Los Angeles native, ranked seventh in the world, finished tied for 14th at last weekend’s U.S. Open.

Morikawa beat U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau to clinch one of four coveted spots, even though the University of California graduate still ranked higher than DeChambeau in the standings to determine the Olympic team.

Morikawa has six wins on the PGA Tour, with his most notable victories coming at the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 British Open Championship.

Morikawa has finished in the top five in 15 PGA Tour events this year.

As a collegiate athlete, the four-time All-American was an individual medalist at the 2019 Pac-12 Championships and was named the conference’s Player of the Year, and he also holds the University of California record for stroke play average of 69.78.