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Justin Thomas spent time studying Brooks Koepka and others at majors this year. Now he’s hoping that influence leads to a Tour Championship run.
Justin Thomas is a big golf fan. The former No. 1 in the world loves to watch his fellow competitors tee it up and even learn from them.
Thomas, ahead of this week’s 3M Open in Minneapolis, acknowledged Brooks Koepka’s performance at the PGA Championship was something to study.
“I felt like I learned from watching Brooks [Koepka] at the PGA,” Thomas said. “I felt like his demeanor and how he went about everything, for me personally, I was like that’s how I want to be, how I want to act when I’m out there playing in majors.”
All professional golfers are rated on their ability to win majors. Thomas, a 2-time major winner already, has had a brutal year.
He has five missed cuts on the season with just three top 10s. Thomas missed the cut in three of the four majors. His only finish was a T65 in Rochester, NY, at the PGA Championship.
Despite his troubles, the 2-time PGA Championship winner remains confident.
“I’m very, very close. I feel like I’m just right there to kind of like break it through a little inner confidence or mojo if you will,” Thomas said. “I just kind of need to play my way through it a little bit.”
Considering all of the missed cuts, Thomas has gotten to watch a lot of golf this year and learn. He is however running out of time to salvage this season.
Thomas is currently No. 75 on the FedEx Playoff standings. Only the top-70 qualify with just two weeks left before the playoffs begin at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and on Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.