“I know that great things are coming” - Justin Thomas staying ‘patient’ for his chance ahead of Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas knows he's not far from making a big run. He's currently ranked 10th in the world and is poised to make a big leap with a good performance at the Valspar Championship, where he's a good bet to win it all.
He doesn't feel great about where his golf game is at right now, but knows he's close to turning things around. Thomas said via the Tampa Bay Times:
“This game of golf can make you feel like you are one swing away from wanting to quit and one swing away from winning the Masters, and that’s kind of where I’m at right now."
He added that he knows great things are coming for him:
“So, in terms of my golf game, obviously, it doesn’t feel great. I have been playing really, really well and I feel like I’m close. I’m just trying to stay patient and stay positive and just kind of wait for good things to happen, because I know that great things are coming. It’s just a matter of time and I just need to be in the right frame of mind for it.”
Thomas dropped from ninth in the OWGR to 10th recently, which is obviously still an incredible feat. Still, he knows he can do better and feels like a better performance is just around the corner. Might it be at the Valspar Championship?
Justin Thomas decries new ball proposal
Justin Thomas is yet another detractor to the potential rule changes that would limit driving capacity. Thomas is routinely among the best drivers at any tournament he is in, and these rules might take away an advantage he has given himself.
Much like Bryson DeChambeau, Thomas was brutal while talking about the potential changes, saying:
“My reaction was disappointed and also not surprised, to be honest. I think the USGA over the years has, in my eyes — it’s harsh, but — made some pretty selfish decisions. They definitely have done a lot of things that aren’t for the betterment of the game, although they claim it. I had conversations with some USGA members and I don’t understand how it’s growing the game.”
Thomas continued, embarking on an epic rant:
“I mean, people are running faster, so what, are they just going to make the length of a mile longer so that the fastest mile time doesn’t change? Or are they going to put the NBA hoop at 13 feet because people can jump higher now? Like, no. It’s evolution. We’re athletes now. We’re training to hit the ball further and faster and if you can do it, good for you. So yeah, as you can tell, I’m clearly against it.”
The balls would effectively dampen drives to the point that the best in the world would lose about 15 yards of drive. That can be a major difference between one golfer and another and it can add up to a few strokes that Justin Thomas wouldn't need to take.
Golf has changed things before, but this proposed change is not very popular.