Morikawa battles back injury fear at 50% swing speed

Morikawa admits he's 'never been this scared in my life' to play golf after back injury

The two-time major champion withdrew from The Players Championship after grabbing his lower back during a practice swing. He's now swinging at just 50% capacity while managing the psychological impact of the injury.

Despite swinging at 50%, Morikawa shot bogey-free 67 at RBC Heritage and tied 7th at Masters

Morikawa is 'dinking it around, slapping it' with limited shot options but managed four-under 67 at Harbour Town. He played 11-under over his final three rounds at Augusta National just weeks after the injury forced him out of The Players.

Morikawa's biggest challenge is trust, not pain: 'It's hard to trust the body right now'

The injury happened on the golf course for the first time in his career—previous back issues only occurred in the gym. He's scared of taking a golf ball out of a hole or teeing it up, making him extremely cautious during competition.

Morikawa needs time at home to test limits: 'I need to be comfortable to turn up the gears'

He's avoiding pushing his body during tournaments, choosing instead to experiment at home where he can safely test how far he can go. The goal is to last 72 holes without risking further injury during competition.