Collin Morikawa is no stranger to the winner's circle, but the two-time major champion is fighting a different kind of battle these days—one that doesn't end with a trophy lift. As the PGA Championship tees off at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Morikawa opened up about a lingering back injury that's forced him to take some unusual steps to stay in the game.

"I wish I was 100 percent healthy," Morikawa admitted to the media on Tuesday. "The body doesn't feel bad, just it's uncomfortable, and there's a trust factor I'm kind of having to deal with, which is—I've never had to deal with it. I can't imagine wanting anyone to deal with it because it's just a very weird feeling of not trusting the body and yet knowing that things are going to be OK."

The back issue first flared up at the Players Championship, sidelining him at a critical moment. But Morikawa, who had been on an absolute tear earlier this season—winning at Pebble Beach and notching top-10 finishes at Riviera and Bay Hill—hasn't let it slow him down for long. He's been pushing through the pain, crediting his mental toughness, his team, and his physio for keeping him upright.

And that's where things get interesting. In a move that might raise eyebrows on the course, Morikawa has enlisted his caddie, Mark Urbanek, for a very specific task: carrying his water bottle. "I think it's ridiculous for him to hand me my water bottle," Morikawa said with a grin, "but if it was going to save me one extra bend that was going to make me uncomfortable, he's going to do it. So I give him a lot of credit over the last few months of sticking with me through the chaotic things I'm asking for."

It's a small adjustment, but in the world of professional golf, every bend, twist, and swing counts. And the results speak for themselves. Morikawa posted a T-7 finish at Augusta National and followed it up with a T-4 at Hilton Head the next week. Clearly, the unconventional approach is working.

As he looks ahead to this week's championship, Morikawa is taking a measured approach. "I've been able to take that into it," he said. "It will be interesting to see whether I get..." The key, he believes, is accepting his limitations and staying within himself—a mindset that has served him well even when his body isn't cooperating.

For fans and fellow golfers alike, Morikawa's resilience is a reminder that even the best in the game face challenges off the leaderboard. And sometimes, the winning move isn't a perfect swing—it's trusting your caddie to hand you a water bottle.