Justin Thomas, a prominent figure in professional golf, is gearing up for the upcoming PGA Championship, reflecting on his journey and ambitions. He first grabbed national attention at the 2017 PGA Championship played at Quail Hollow. At just 24 years old, he managed to enjoy his first major victory on that day. Since then, Thomas has racked up 16 career PGA Tour victories, stamping his mark as one of the game’s most potent threats.
In 2022, Thomas bagged yet another big one to his résumé, winning a second PGA Championship. His performance has sagged in 2023. Despite his success, he encountered severe struggles and missed the cut in three of the four major championships. Though these recreant misfortunes, he is hustling to go back to his previous performance and earn a name.
Thomas’s putting game has notably improved this season, gaining just over half a stroke on the greens, a stark contrast to last year’s performance where he lost a third of a stroke. This boost has powered his late-career resurgence. Most impressively, he earned 6 top-10 finishes and captured a Signature Event win at the RBC Heritage.
Despite this, today Data Golf has Thomas ranked 5th best player in the world. As he prepares to head back to Quail Hollow, he understands that he is a different man and golfer than when he achieved such great success. He wanted to achieve the same outcome, despite them.
To be clear—watching the Masters gave me the realization that I knew was in there all along. As a kid, I grew up dreaming of winning the Grand Slam, of capturing all the majors! But for some reason watching somebody do it firsthand, it reminded me almost of, ‘Damn, I forgot, I really do want to do that,’ Thomas said.
He paid tribute to his fellow competitors, most notably the co-leader Scottie Scheffler and the ever-menacing Rory McIlroy. Experiencing their successes and accomplishments has, in turn, restored his own dreams and aspirations. Of course I’m overjoyed for my friends when they win. Yet, a part of me cannot help to feel envious and wish that triumph belonged to me.
Yet, as he continues to make his way through the intense world of professional golf, Thomas has made personal growth the focus. “I would like to think and hope I’m a more mature person and golfer. I don’t think it’s fair to play the comparison game,” he remarked.
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