"Golf is a funky game”- Justin Thomas emphasizes Golf's positive impact beyond the fairways
There is a growing divide between the top golfers and the rest of them, but star Justin Thomas doesn't believe there is an issue. The best golfers in the world tend to do better and make significantly more money than the rest, but nothing is given.
Thomas cited Eric Cole and Adam Schenk, two of the lesser-known golfers who had tremendous years. They did better than he did, showcasing that even the best of the best have to put in a lot of effort to stay at the top. If they don't, ambitious golfers like the two he mentioned are eager to take their place.
Thomas said (via Yahoo! Sports):
“I think it’s the easy thing to do, honestly, to sit there and say: ‘Why me? Why is this happening to me? Why are they getting this?’ If you would have put us side by side at the beginning of the year and said, ‘Who is going to do what?’ ... you know what I’m saying?”
He implied that his track record suggested that he'd do very well, especially in comparison to relatively unproven talents. That's not exactly how it transpired, though. For Thomas, even though it means he had a poor season, it's part of the beauty of golf:
“But that’s the way I think so many people look at it,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Well, they are going to play in all these events.’ Or you can look at it like Adam Schenk did and say, ‘I’m going to play my way into those events.’ Eric Cole, ‘I’m going to play my way into those events.’"
He added that your standing doesn't matter, and that has an impact well beyond the green:
“Golf is a funky game. Doesn’t matter how good of a player, any accomplishments you’ve had. You can have an off year and miss the playoffs just like I did. Everybody has got to work hard and you have to earn it.”
No matter what, any golfer can put in a good performance at any given time. They can also have a good year even if it's unexpected. The flip side is also true, as Thomas learned this year on the PGA Tour.
He still made the Ryder Cup and actually was one of the few Americans to do well in the tournament, but it was far from the year anyone expected of him.
Justin Thomas ditches diet
Justin Thomas' diet was well-documented earlier in the year. He was going all in on his health and eating habits to try and improve his game. Ultimately, it didn't pan out, as he had a terrible season.
Thomas said (via CBS Sports):
"Yeah, if you guys hear of me doing that again, tell me to stop. It wasn't exactly during my best stretch of golf, so I would say if I had it over, I would not do it. Yeah, it's one of those things. I don't really give 50 percent too much. I feel like if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it. I'm going to want to know how it is."
Thomas will go back to his normal eating habits in the hope that he can turn it around for 2024.