Collin Morikawa will donate $1k for every birdie that he makes in the FedEx Cup Playoffs to go towards the devastation caused by the wildfires in Hawaii.
The number of people killed is already over 50 with maybe as many as a thousand people missing on the island of Maui. Governor Josh Green said that the fires are the 'largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history' and that 80 per cent of historic seaside town Lahaina is 'gone'.
The fires began on Tuesday and were fuelled by Hurricane Dora's passing winds and Morikawa, whose grandparents were born in Lahaina, will be pulling out all the stops to make as many birdies as possible.
"Maui has always held a special place in my heart - my grandfather owned a restaurant called The Morikawa Restaurant, on Front Street in Lahaina. Lahaina and additional areas of Maui and the Big Island are currently being decimated by wildfires. Homes have been destroyed, families displaced and it’s far from over. The people of Hawaii are going to need all the support that we can give them. During the course of the playoffs, I’m going to donate $1000 for every birdie that I make," the two-time Major winner commented on Instagram.
Morikawa made six birdies in an opening 65 at TPC Southwind and the money will be split between two Hawaii charities, the Maui United Way and World Central Kitchen.
After his round, which put him in a tie for third, Morikawa explained that he still has relatives on the island but his grandparents have now moved to Califronia. The 26-year-old grew up in Los Angeles but his father and the Morikawa family would often spend summers in Lahaina.
"It's devastating, the before-and-after photos are just heartbreaking, knowing that my entire dad's side of the family grew up there. We went there as kids. It's a special place. It's amazing how many things you take for granted really in life, and when you see that, it's just heartbreaking.
"I woke up, just checking the news, and to see how many people have passed away from that, yeah, I'm at a loss for words. I want to make a lot of birdies for them. One of our friends texted me, and they're like, OK, $100,000. I'm like, shoot, 100 birdies in three tournaments? I don't know if that's ever been done. But it would be a great feat to say the least.
"I know I'm going to ask my sponsors, I'm going to ask people that I know just to help out. Anything helps. Really anything. Per birdie I make, whatever you can afford, whatever you want to put in. It's a generous donation. I'm going to be pushing hard to make those birdies, and hopefully everyone else can reach out and help out as much as they can."
