Justin Thomas at the 2022 Presidents Cup. | Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Justin Thomas did not make the U.S. team for the Presidents Cup, despite making it to East Lake. Is his omission a mistake?
Oh, how quickly things can change in a year.
A year ago at this time, when Justin Thomas made the Ryder Cup team, golf fans got their pitchforks out and directed them toward Captain Zach Johnson, saying that Thomas did not deserve to make the team. Some saw it as a crime, while others cried out for Keegan Bradley, saying he earned a spot more than anyone, especially over Thomas. After all, Thomas missed the cut in three of the four majors in 2023 and did not qualify for last year’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
Fast forward to Tuesday, and Presidents Cup captain Jim Furyk left Thomas off the team, opting for Bradley, Sam Burns, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Max Homa, and Tony Finau instead. Thomas had a much stronger 2024 campaign, a year in which he tied for 8th at his hometown PGA Championship. He also posted five top 10s and qualified for the Tour Championship on the number. His year certainly did not meet his standards, but it was a stark improvement from his abysmal 2023 season.
Yet, Thomas will watch this Presidents Cup from home, the first time in eight years that he will not make a national team appearance.
“There are a bunch of guys that I would want on this team. It was a difficult decision with JT. Definitely a difficult call to make,” Furyk said of not picking Thomas.
“But as a captain, you’re trying to make the best decision, put the best 12 guys together, fit the puzzle pieces together, the pairings together. It’s tough. He’s got a great record in these events. But ultimately, that was the decision that was made.”
Something about team match play brings out the best in Thomas.
In his three previous Presidents Cup appearances, Thomas has compiled an overall record of 10-3-2, winning 11 points for Team USA—the most of any player during that span. His strong play directly contributed to the Americans’ success, as they won the Presidents Cup on all three occasions. Thomas has also performed at his best at the Ryder Cup, where he currently owns a 7-4-2 overall record.
He has been the heart and soul of the American locker room, too, relying on his passion to bring out the best in others. Many have spoken highly of Thomas as a teammate and his selflessness towards other players. Not having him on this year’s Presidents Cup team will take some getting used to.
“I love the guy to death,” Furyk said of Thomas.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk and Justin Thomas ahead of the 2018 Ryder Cup.
“I really do respect JT and have spent more time around him on these teams than anyone else. It makes it a little bit more difficult emotionally. As a captain, you try to make the best decisions you can. You stick with them, and you move on.”
Furyk went on to explain how Thomas received his decision with great “class.” He then detailed their brief conversation.
“I told JT this: I see him as a little bit of a chameleon. I think he’s a smart player. I think he can change. If the golf course had asked us to hit the ball straight, get it in the fairway, and get it in play, he can do that. If it asks you to bomb away and power is more important, I think he does it,” Furyk said.
“It has a bearing and a weight on it. I think present form has a bearing and a weight. I think your history has a weight. I think there’s a lot of things that go into it. When I looked at my team, when I looked at the record, I know a lot of guys are looking at this summer, I know a lot of guys are looking at the last few weeks of the year, I weigh that in. I also weigh in a body of work. I also weigh in on who has played well this season and who has played well over the last 12 months. All of that’s important to me. You put it all together, and you’ve got a big puzzle piece, and you try to figure out the best answers.”
Furyk’s final Presidents Cup puzzle did not include Thomas, despite his strong history in match play events and improved season.
It is also worth noting that Thomas ranked 11th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained from tee to green. He also had a terrific ball-striking season, and his play around the greens ranked among the elite players in the sport. But he struggled with his putting. The two-time major winner lost 0.508 strokes on the greens, ranking 160th among PGA Tour pros this season. Perhaps that attribute alone factored into Furyk’s decision not to pick Thomas.
Whatever the reason, it is over and done with now. Whether that decision proves worthwhile, though, remains to be seen. Yet, right now, leaving Thomas off the team looks like a mistake.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
