Maui Wildfires: Collin Morikawa donates $1,000 for every birdie he makes during the FedEx Cup Playoffs to help recovery efforts
- Wildfires have burned Maui and destroyed more than 1,700 buildings
- Morikawa’s grandfather owned a restaurant in Lahaina where fires broke out
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Collin Morikawa has pledged to donate $1,000 for every birdie he makes in the FedEx Cup playoffs to help rebuild efforts in the wake of Maui’s deadly fires.
The golfer’s grandparents were born in Lahaina, the historic Maui town devastated by the fires that killed at least 53 people. He still has relatives on Maui.
“I think they’re fine, but just to hear … I woke up this morning just reading the news and to see how many people have died as a result, words fail me,” Morikawa said.
Morikawa, who won the PGA Championship and the Open within two years of graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, started the FedEx Cup playoffs Thursday with six birdies in his opening round of 65 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
He posted his charity on Instagram Thursday morning and by the end of the day had decided to send the money raised to two Hawaiian charities: Maui United Way and World Central Kitchen.
Collin Morikawa has pledged $1,000 per birdie in the FedEx Cup playoffs to help aid efforts in Maui
Wildfires raged across Maui, destroying over 1,700 buildings and claiming lives
Morikawa grew up in the Los Angeles area, but he said his father always spent summers in Lahaina because his grandparents were there.
The Morikawa Restaurant closed a few years ago, although a few years ago a local happened to find a matchbook from the restaurant on eBay and tried to get it for him through the PGA Tour and Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua.
“It’s devastating what we saw.” “The before and after photos are just heartbreaking knowing my dad’s entire family grew up there,” he said.
“My grandparents were born in Lahaina. We had the restaurant out there. That’s how the photo was. We were there as kids. It’s a special place.
Morikawa’s grandparents were born in Maui’s historic district, which was hit hard
“It’s amazing how many things in life you really take for granted and when you see that, it’s just heartbreaking.”
Morikawa is confident that other people will follow his promise and contribute to his birdies. He has 11 rounds left and said a friend texted him that he might reach $100,000.
“Look, it’s one of the best places in the world that we travel to Kapalua year after year to go and play golf,” he said. “I know I’m going to ask my sponsors, I’m going to ask people I know to just help.”
“Anything goes — per yardie I do, whatever you can afford, whatever you want to put into it. I’ll be working hard to make those birdies and hopefully everyone else can help as much as they can.”‘