He is the latest winner of a Major at Quail Hollow. Justin Thomas opened his account in the Majors eight years ago on the course where the now second Major of the year is being played again.
The American arrives at the best moment in recent times, having returned to the path of victory on the PGA Tour after nearly three years of drought and a major crisis in his game. Not only has he won, but the 32-year-old player has finished among the top two in three of his last four outings, including last week’s Truist Championship.
Justin is back in the spotlight, a lot of spotlights, and even though he’s not among the front-line favourites, he is undoubtedly a player to watch this week: “I feel very good about my game,” Thomas said. “I would like to think that I am a more mature person and golfer than the one who won in 2017. I have a lot of confidence in my ability and what I can do. I firmly believe that the best of me is yet to come, and I know I have it there. I just have to find it and prove it.”
The Louisville native does not forget what happened seven years ago: “I have a lot of great memories,” Thomas said this Tuesday. “I remember when I walked up the 18th hole on Sunday with people chanting my name and looking at the leaderboard and realising I was about to win a Major, it was a really cool feeling. There are definitely many moments from that week, and especially from Sunday, that I will always remember. It was a very special week.”
As expected, Thomas was asked about the current Masters winner, Rory McIlroy, and why he usually plays well here; let’s not forget that the Northern Irishman has four titles on this course. Interestingly, while praising the Holywood player, the American ended up giving a great explanation of the keys to playing well on this course:
“First of all, Rory is very, very good at playing this, so that definitely helps,” Thomas said. “I would say he is the best ball-striker I have ever seen, and that is extremely important here. But also, his way of striking fits perfectly; I think this golf course suits a high draw very well. There are a lot of tee shots, whether it’s keeping fairways or fitting doglegs, taking bunkers out of play, whatever. He has such control of his driver that it seems like he can play it in a small window of space in an area where other players try to hit with short irons.”
Justin continued to delve into the explanation: “That is a tremendous advantage or threat on any golf course, but I feel that in a place like this, where not much thought or strategy is necessarily required from the tee, it’s generally about taking the driver and just needing to hit it as far and straight as possible, and he is very, very good at that. That is something, as I said, that is an advantage on any golf course, but I think his way of striking and his distance is a great combination here.” Take note, that’s how you should play at Quail Hollow.
