HOYLAKE, England — Justin Thomas reacts on the 18th green on Day One of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 20, 2023. | Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
Thomas missed the cut at a major for the third time this season, putting his Ryder Cup hopes in jeopardy and concerning captain Zach Johnson.
His game is in complete shambles.
So much so that if you were on the grounds at Royal Liverpool this week attending The Open Championship, you would ask yourself, “How in the world did Justin Thomas win two major titles?”
Thomas, who has not emerged victorious since winning the 2022 PGA Championship, will again miss the cut this week, his third missed cut at a major this season.
His poor play has concerned Zach Johnson, who will captain the American side at this year’s Ryder Cup in Italy in late September.
“As a friend and roommate, I’m concerned just because he’s my buddy and I know what he’s capable of and that sort of thing,” Johnson said after his Friday round at The Open.
“Bottom line is this game is tough. There are going to be peaks. There are going to be some valleys. Let’s hope whatever sort of non-peak he is in; it’s short. Guys with talent like that who work and aren’t afraid to put their work in the dirt, if you will, not to be cliche, typically find it. It’s just a matter of when not if. He’s too darned good.”
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
KOHLER, Wisc. — Justin Thomas talks with vice-captain Zach Johnson and Daniel Berger of team United States during Sunday Singles Matches of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 26, 2021.
Thomas has been a stalwart on American Ryder Cup teams since he debuted for Team USA in 2018.
At his first Ryder Cup in France, when the Europeans kicked the Americans to the curb, Thomas was the lone shining star, winning four matches in Paris.
Then at Whistling Straits, host of the 2021 Ryder Cup, Thomas gave Team USA 2.5 points, which helped the Americans win the cup back.
“I might be slightly concerned, like I said, as a friend, but I’m not worried about him because I know what he does, and I know what he’s capable of,” Johnson added.
Rory McIlroy, one of the faces of Team Europe, also weighed in on Thomas’ recent struggles.
“[Thomas] will be okay. He is one of the most talented guys out here,” McIlroy said. “We all go through bad patches. That’s golf. There’s not one player in the world that hasn’t. But he’s got the right people around him and the right work ethic to get himself out of it.”
Thomas also finds himself outside of the Top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings, which would disqualify him from playing in the FedEx Cup playoffs that begin Aug. 11.
Only the top 70 players in the standings qualify.
“I have a couple of events left to try to get in the playoffs and then make a little bit of a run and try to prove a point,” Thomas said after his Friday round at The Open.
“I want to make the Ryder Cup more than anything. I’m honestly probably trying too hard to do it. It reminds me a lot of my first or second year on tour. I tried so hard to make that team for the first time. I’m in a very similar position now.”
Perhaps Thomas can right the ship next week at the 3M Open in Minnesota.
After his disastrous 11-over 81 at the U.S. Open last month, Thomas turned around and tied for ninth the following week at the Travelers Championship.
Maybe something similar will happen to Thomas in the land of 10,000 lakes.
But if he continues to struggle, like he did Thursday when he shot an 11-over 82, Thomas may not qualify for the team and miss out on the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2015.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
