Justin Thomas carded a second round 69 (-3) this Friday at the THE PLAYERS Championship and moved to five under par, which puts him inside the top 10 of the tournament after the first two days at TPC Sawgrass. The American finished the day with two birdies on the last three holes to remain in full contention for the title heading into the weekend.
Thomas admitted that his game wasn’t as sharp as the previous day, but he valued the ability to get results even without being particularly dialled in. “I wasn’t as precise, but I salvaged a very good round without having my best game”, he explained after the round. “It’s nice to make birdie on two of the last three holes and put myself in a position to fight”, he added.
The result is even more valuable when taking into account the American’s physical context. Thomas recalled that this very Friday marked four months since his operation, a process that still affects part of his weekly preparation. “Today marks four months since the surgery”, he commented. “I was telling my wife this morning. It’s hard to balance everything: the rehab, the expectations, trying to do the right thing every week and, at the same time, trying to play well and win tournaments”, he detailed.
The champion of the PGA Championship admitted that sometimes he has to rein in his competitive instinct. “Yesterday I might have liked to hit some balls in the afternoon or even tonight, but I simply don’t need to”, he explained. His aim now is to maintain the balance between recovery and competitive performance.
A problem more mental than physical
One of the aspects he has struggled with most in recent weeks has been maintaining concentration throughout the round. Thomas admitted honestly that, at certain moments, his mind wanders. “I start to lose focus. Sometimes I’m over the ball and I’m not thinking about anything”, he acknowledged. “I’m not thinking about the shot or the yardage… I just drift away”, he insisted.
To correct it, the work with his caddie Jim ‘Rev’ Mackay has been key. His role is simple but fundamental: to reinforce confidence in every decision. “The most important thing for me is commitment and feeling confident in the decision I’ve made”, Thomas explained.
The most spectacular moment of his round came at the 11th hole, where he carded an eagle thanks to a great approach from the fairway. “It was a very good drive, then a 4-iron and afterwards an incredible chip”, he explained. Thomas admitted that it’s not a shot he expects to hole often, but he has a lot of confidence in his short game. “When you’re in the fairway you have much more control over the ball. I visualised the shot, picked the spot and luckily the hole got in the way”, he joked.
The pressure of Sawgrass
The American also spoke about how demanding this tournament can be when you’re playing near the cut line, especially in the closing stretch of the course. “If you’re on the cut and you get to 17, if you send it into the water you’re practically out”, he explained. “And the 18th tee is equally difficult. It’s almost as tough as trying to win the tournament”, he added.
In that sense, JT was also asked about the difficulties the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, is going through during this edition. The American played down the drama of the situation. “It’s just golf”, he said. “He’s still hitting shots that very few people on the planet can hit”, he commented.
Finally, Thomas acknowledged that he is aware the real challenge comes now. The weekend will bring pressure, crowd noise and genuine chances of victory. “Today already felt like a Saturday afternoon”, he explained. “There were putts and shots that got the crowd on their feet”. The key, he insists, will be to keep his game simple. “I’m doing everything necessary to have a chance to win this tournament. I just have to believe it”. And that, probably, is the most important battle left to play at Sawgrass this weekend.
