Justin Thomas Rebounds To Win The Players In Grand Fashion

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So much impressed with Justin Thomas’s Players win but I’m not sure any number is more powerful than 14. While that many PGA Tour wins doesn’t put him in the upper echelon of greats yet, it’s a robust number in the modern game and at his age and upside.

And in the modern World Golf Hall of Fame, a PGA, a Players and 14 wins makes him a first-ballot lock 18 years from now.

For subscribers, I posted a winners/losers round-up with the Masters in mind over at The Quadrilateral.

Michael Bamberger on Thomas turning around his game after a rough start to 2021.

Taking in that scene, it was hard to imagine Thomas on a plane, flying home from L.A. “My head was not in a good place then,” he said Sunday night. Flying home from Abu Dhabi, surely the same. Flying home from his grandfather’s funeral, the same. Sending texts to Tiger knowing they are going to his hospital room? That can’t be a good feeling. They should be planning a scouting trip to Augusta.

Thomas’s ballstriking performance was one for the ages and rights a ship that was running adrift. Had he not missed the 18th green with a sand wedge, Thomas would have done something six others had done at TPC Sawgrass, notes GolfDigest.com’s Brian Wacker:

Only six times in the history of the Players Championship has a player hit all 18 greens in regulation at TPC Sawgrass. Thomas was on pace to do that Sunday before his final approach came up a couple of inches short.

He didn’t mind.

Thomas is a maestro with an iron in his hand and he was all week, but especially so on Sunday. To lose more than two strokes putting on the field in the final round and still shoot four-under 68 speaks volumes about how good his ball-striking was.

As I noted here with the Masters in mind, seeing a notorious left-to-right player hit such distinct draws is one thing. Doing it under pressure on holes that give him fits may have been the final round highlight. (With a tip of the cap to the tracer.)

The social posts:

And a starry, starry night send off to the week:

The PGA Tour’s final round highlights: