Collin Morikawa's wife will run a marathon, but he's trying to make birdies for St. Jude Hospital

MEMPHIS – In the heat of the FedEx Cup Playoff race, Collin Morikawa is staying true to the principles of the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Championship’s title sponsors.

Morikawa has pledged to donate $1,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for every birdie he makes throughout the three-event playoffs. During Thursday’s first round at TPC Southwind, he recorded five birdies.

For Morikawa, who is part of the golf apparel company TaylorMade’s team of professionals, it’s the continuation of a commitment to St. Jude that he shares with his wife.

“My wife is going to be running the New York Marathon, and we’re going to be trying to raise as much money as we can for St. Jude, so that’s her charity beneficiary for the marathon,” Morikawa said. “I think everything that’s piling on, it’s all coming together, whether it’s FedEx and TaylorMade, St. Jude, ourselves, and my family.

“We’re going to be doing as much as we can throughout these playoffs and the next couple of months to help out some great kids.”

FedEx teamed with TaylorMade to create a custom playoff-themed golf bag that Morikawa showcased Wednesday. The bag is crafted with upcycled FedEx packaging materials and TaylorMade golf gloves. Along with his birdie pledge, Morikawa will use the bag during all three FedExCup Playoffs events.

FedEx is also matching Morikawa’s $1,000 donation to St. Jude for every birdie or better that he achieves while using the bag throughout the playoffs.

“A really special bag. Really cool,” he said Wednesday. “It’s obviously very meaningful, not only how it’s built. You have recycled gloves on the side, recycled materials. Someone said there’s a part of a FedEx truck in it.”

Morikawa, fourth in the FedEx Cup Playoff standings with 2,456 points, finished Thursday’s first round at 2-under-par 68. He finished his second round Friday at 1 under, shooting a 71 with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 and 15.

@joshua.crawford@commercialappeal.com, or via X @JCrawford5656