Justin Thomas speaks to the media ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship. | Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Justin Thomas has never played in a professional tournament in his hometown, let alone a major championship. That changes this week.
Louisville, Kentucky native Justin Thomas feels confident in his game ahead of this week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
He also has zero concerns about any added pressure from playing in his hometown. But Thomas will still feel the heat like he always does.
“Well, the good news is I have a pretty easy time putting a lot of pressure on myself already, so that shouldn’t be too much of an adjustment,” Thomas said with a smile.
“I’ve never played a professional tournament, let alone a PGA, in my hometown, so I’m sure it will be some new feelings, some good feelings. I came out yesterday and enjoyed it. I think just going to take it in and try to use it to my advantage. Use the energy and the support to try to kind of get me going and push me along as the week goes.”
Thomas will have plenty of support behind him, as this week’s tournament has sold over 200,000 tickets.
But he feels his game is trending in the right direction, despite his missed cut at Augusta National.
“I feel like I’m playing well,” Thomas added.
Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour via Getty Images
Justin Thomas and caddie Matt Minister during a Monday practice round ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship.
“I feel like I haven’t necessarily gotten as much out of my golf as I feel like I’ve been playing, which can be frustrating at times. But it also just reminds me that I am close and I just need to kind of stay patient.”
Thomas rebounded at the RBC Heritage, where he tied for fifth. His final round, a 6-under 65 at Harbour Town, greatly helped his cause but also demonstrated that his game is in a much better position than in 2023. He carded four straight rounds in the 60s that week.
His strong play continued last week. Thomas tied for 21st at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, where he won his first PGA Championship in 2017.
“I finally feel like, at least this year, I know I’ve been playing well enough to win. It’s just a matter of doing it,” Thomas added.
“I don’t know how to put a number on it, but I’m sure there’s kind of anywhere from 10 to 20 people each week that probably play well enough to win; it’s just there’s only one that takes advantage the most and does all the right things, and I just haven’t been that person this year, and hopefully it happens sooner rather than later.”
Thomas’ last professional victory came two years ago at Southern Hills, where he came from seven strokes back and defeated Will Zalatoris in a playoff to claim his second PGA Championship title.
A win this week would give him a third Wanamaker Trophy, putting him alongside Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, and Brooks Koepka for fourth most all-time. He would then only trail Jack Nicklaus, Walter Hagen, and Tiger Woods.
“I mean, it’s tough,” Thomas said about feeling pressure in majors.
“It’s one of those things you can’t just flip the switch, and I think all the greats at it, everybody, you know, that’s, you could say arguably all the GOATs of their sport, that’s what did better than anybody else is they stayed in the moment and processed better than anybody and they also can’t explain how they do it because it’s just all they know.”
Thomas has shown flashes of that in the past and believes he is close to re-discovering it again. But rest assured that he does not feel any added weight on his shoulders because he already feels a ton.
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.
