Justin Thomas during Round 2 of the 2024 ZOZO Championship. | Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images
Despite not playing since the Tour Championship, Justin Thomas has put together two solid rounds at the ZOZO Championship.
After pounding a 313-yard drive right down the middle of the fairway on the par-5 18th, Justin Thomas had only 218 yards left for his second shot—a green-light special for any PGA Tour pro.
The two-time PGA Championship winner took advantage of the opportunity and stuffed his approach to four feet. Thomas then drained the eagle putt, his 64th stroke of the day, to cap off a stellar second round at the ZOZO Championship.
“Just took a little bit off of a 5-iron and cut it off the left center of the green,” Thomas said of his eagle.
“That’s what I’m trying to get on the green. I think hitting it in there four feet is a bonus, but that’s the advantage of soft greens and hitting a good shot.”
Thomas is 10-under par at the midway point and trails 36-hole leader Nico Echavarria by two strokes. The Colombian shot a pair of 6-under 64s on Thursday and Friday and has seized control of the tournament at the midway point.
“I‘ve never had a lead after 36 holes,” Echavarria said.
“I’ve had it after 54, but never after 36, so it’s good to be in this position.”
Meanwhile, Thomas has plenty of experience holding the lead. Not only does he have two major victories under his belt, but the former Alabama Crimson Tide standout has 15 career PGA Tour victories overall. He has put himself in a terrific position to claim his 16th in Japan this week, although it has been a while since he emerged victorious. A win this week would mark his first since his 2022 triumph at Southern Hills.
“I’m eager to win any tournament, I always want to,” Thomas added.
“When things are going well, you feel like you should do that quite often and every year, but it’s just the reality of how difficult the sport is.”
Based on his performance over the first two rounds, you could never guess that Thomas has not played competitively in almost two months. Since he did not make the U.S. Presidents Cup team, Thomas last played at the Tour Championship and tied for 14th. But everything is clicking for Thomas so far this week, especially off the tee, a part of his game that he has struggled with over the past two seasons.
As for his game plan for the next two rounds:
“Just the same as last two days, try to keep driving it well, have the confidence and faith in my game, and just keep putting one foot in front of the other,” Thomas explained.
“I feel like you can make a lot of birdies out here if I keep driving it like I have, but so can everybody else. Just got to keep the hammer down.”
If he can keep the pedal to the medal, Thomas—like Collin Morikawa did a year ago—will snap a lengthy winless drought and roll into 2025 with plenty of renowned confidence.
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.
