Ponte Vedera Beach, Florida – Crowds stand in a consistent position on TPC Sawgrass’ famous 17th hole. Justin Thomas just hit 18 feet on Green Island – a satisfying result – but it was what he made in the first 16 holes that made fans shout his name.
After the second round of Game 6 and tied for 134, 12 strokes behind the leader, Thomas turned TPC Saw Grass into his playground, poured 10 birdies over 16 holes and shot on the player championship rankings. The 17th putter was dripping enough and gave Thomas his 11th bird at the time, a game record. His only 18-year-old bonbo didn’t do any damage from the day’s rounds – 62-year-old Tom Hoge’s 2023 record and brought 16 differences to Thomas.
“That was one of the best rounds I’ve ever played,” he said. “I felt like I did an incredible job of getting my eyes forward, keeping blind eyes, not looking back, forward, something like that. It’s just: How do I put this ball on the fairway? Then how do I make birdie, let’s rinse and repeat.”
In some ways, the mentality that fueled Thomas’ dream dream was the mentality that prevented it from becoming better.
As Thomas approached the 18th tee, the afternoon lights were tinted in orange tones, and the crowd grew around him, excited about the possibility of witnessing history. Thomas said he didn’t know exactly how he could create a course record. His only idea, he said, is to be another bird. But the two-time Grand Slam champion was tricky after pushing his fairway wood off the tee to the right hairy.
“Once I missed the fairway, the birdie was impossible, and then I tried to hit the green there,” Thomas said. “The rough face was enough to make it shoot straight to the left and with the power of that ball, obviously in the water.”
Thomas’ father and coach Mike stood behind the 18th green as his son watched the penalty kick 54 yards from the hole. He had to insert it and break the course record, but the game demarcated up and down is still essential. After a full day of raiding fairways and greens, Thomas grinded. He began to hit a high arched pitch shot that landed like a feather and stopped 22 inches from the hole.
Mike was as loud as the other fans at hand, and once Thomas took a bogey and 62, he turned to his family.
“That’s special,” he said.
As Thomas explained after the round, Thursday’s 78-year-old was “absolutely terrible in all ways, shapes or forms”, but that night spent time talking about it with multiple people (including his wife Jill) to convince him that, as he said, “a kind of fl happiness.”
“I’m even more frustrated and frustrated with my spirit,” Thomas said. “Gill just listened to it for a long time last night. She’s great. Just stay positive and keep me looking forward to me and remind me that I’ve played a lot of good golf, but the hardest part is the mentality we start today once we start.”
After Thomas was in this state of mind, he took off. He made birds on the first two holes and added three more. Then, during the 11-14 holes, Thomas became incandescent, turning the four birds from special birds into historic birds. By the end, Thomas scored a 114-foot putt and scored 3.6 in his approaching game.
He attributes it to his ability to stay present.
“This is one of the hardest things to do. I think it’s arguably [Scottie Scheffler’s] “The best attribute is that he is able to stay on the field and stay in this moment. It’s a skill, like being able to hit a certain distance or control distance. I haven’t done a good job in a round for a long time, so I’m probably more proud of the score today.”
Thomas is now competing for the game on the weekend. He tied for 29th, second only to leaders Min Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia. What’s more, with the top 30 mph style coming here late Saturday afternoon, Thomas has enjoyed the opportunity to play in that storm atmosphere by Sunday.
“I like playing in those conditions. I just think you have to be creative, it’s tough,” Thomas said. “Obviously, I’m excited and I’ll take as much of this as possible, but yes, tomorrow I’ll play te, once the coach [Nick] Saban effect: 24 hours, enjoy it, I have some time tomorrow. That’s what I care about, I’m just going to try to come back. ”
