His season at serious risk, his Ryder Cup hopes up in the air, and an undesired lengthy break potentially coming, Justin Thomas didn’t sound too anxious. No, he said, he wouldn’t stick around Sedgefield Country Club to watch all of that unfold.
Although maybe some other dude — Tustin Jhomas perhaps? — could.
“I mean, there’s no — I can’t do anything, unless I dress up and try to start messing some people up,” Thomas said, tongue firmly in cheek. “But if it did happen I feel like it wouldn’t be good juju for the rest of my year or my career. …
“Like I said, I can’t do anything at this point. I’ve just got to hope for the best.”
The lightness was a bit unexpected.
As was how we got here in the first place. We’ll start with the points from the first paragraph.
His season at serious risk. True, as surprising as that sounds, considering Thomas’ talent and resume (15 PGA Tour wins, including two major championships). But Thomas entered this week’s Wyndham Championship, the Tour’s last regular-season event, at No. 79 in the player standings — and only the top 70 move on to next week’s first leg of the playoffs.
His Ryder Cup hopes up in the air. Also true, as surprising as that sounds, considering his record in two appearances (6-2-1), and overall zest for the event. But the average rank in the points standings isn’t accidental — he’s been average, for an extended period of time. To play in the Ryder Cup requires form.
An undesired lengthy break potentially coming. Miss the playoffs and the Ryder Cup? That gives you one (1) tournament between now and the first full week of October. That’s a lot of range balls.
But here’s where things got really chaotic.
Why Justin Thomas is golf’s most compelling watch this week
Thomas had a chance to make those playoffs. To give U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson something to snack on. To play on.
On his final hole on Sunday.
The previous 17 had seen standings jostling. Thomas, after solid rounds over the first three days at the Wyndham, started at No. 72. After four holes, he was 73rd. After a 38-foot birdie on 6, he was 71st. A hole later, he was back down to 73, despite a par. Then he was 74. At the par-5 15th, he was 71. He eagled. He fist-pumped. He raised his right index finger. He fist-pumped again.
Thomas was 70th.
He stayed there, too, despite a bogey on the par-3 16th, where a gust of wind caught his tee shot in mid-flight and slapped it down, to the front of the green, where it rolled back to the fairway. He remained at 70 after a par at 17.
Then he was 71st.
On his final hole on Sunday.
Off the tee on 18, he went left, into the trees and onto the pine straw, when his cut shot didn’t cut. But from there, he hit one of the neatest shots you’ll ever see — a low, hooking 8-iron that nearly reached the green, and nearly corkscrewed his body into the turf because of the follow-through.
And his next shot was just as memorable.
Unfortunately for him.
Thomas chipped. It bounced. It bounced. It bounced. It bounced off the center of the flagstick. It bounced 6 inches to the left. He fell to the ground. He covered his face. His caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, helped him back up. He tapped in for par. He walked to the back of the green. A leaderboard flashed:
He was 71st.
Thomas mouthed: “Oh my god.”
He thought he was 70th.
He was done.
And not done.
There was some hope for everything else. Maybe one of the 70 who were playing behind him would lose points. A rain delay halted play. He signed autographs for some kids. He talked to CBS’ Amanda Renner and other reporters. Thomas thought about the disguise here.
“Yeah, it would have been a lot more incredible if it would have gone in,” he said of his near pitch-in on 18. “Yeah, it’s just so much can happen. I have other guys that are still out there both tied with me and ahead of me. …
Lucas Glover gets emotional Wyndham Championship win as Russell Henley falters late
“I just, I did my part. I played the best I could and I fought as hard as I could and shot the lowest I possibly could. I just have to just hope that somehow it’s good enough.”
Three hours passed. The tournament ended. Lucas Glover won.
And Thomas was 71st.
Now come the questions.
His season is over.
His Ryder Cup hopes are up in the air.
An undesired lengthy break is coming.
Now what?
Thomas answered.
At 8:11 p.m. ET, he tweeted this:
“Can use adversity as an opportunity to shy away from a challenge, or take it head on. Was a tough season for me, but I actually had fun battling it out and playing golf this week. It’s why we play. Beyond gutted to miss the playoffs, but I’m proud of how hard I fought #onward”
Justin Thomas’ final round at the Wyndham Championship, with his position in the FedEx Cup standings in parentheses
1st, 418-yard par-4: Thomas misses a 19-foot birdie putt just to the left, and he makes par. (72nd in the FedEx Cup standings)
2nd, 428-yard par-4: Thomas comes up short of the green on his second shot, and he makes par. (72nd in the FedEx Cup standings)
3rd, 164-yard par-3: Thomas hits just over the green, and he makes par (72nd in the FedEx Cup standings)
4th, 418-yard par-4: Thomas comes up short of the green on his second shot, and he makes par. (73rd in the FedEx Cup standings)
5th, 533-yard, par-5: Thomas is home in two, but he three-putts from 81 feet, and he makes par. (73rd in the FedEx Cup standings)
6th, 420-yard, par-4: Thomas makes a 38-foot putt, and he makes birdie. (71st in the FedEx Cup standings)
7th, 209-yard, par-3: Thomas two-putts from 52 feet, and he makes par. (73rd in the FedEx Cup standings)
8th, 358-yard, par-4: Thomas comes up short of the green on his second shot, and he makes par. (74th in the FedEx Cup standings)
9th, 407-yard par-4: Thomas comes up just short of the green on his second shot, and he makes par. (72nd in the FedEx Cup standings)
10th, 435-yard par-4: Thomas two-putts from 28 feet, and he makes par. (71st in the FedEx Cup standings)
11th, 468-yard par-4: Thomas hits his second right of the green, and he makes par. (72nd in the FedEx Cup standings)
12th, 214-yard par-3: Thomas comes up 37 yards short of the hole after his tee shot, and he makes par. (71st in the FedEx Cup standings)
13th, 400-yard par-4: Thomas misses his birdie putt to the right, and he makes par. (71st in the FedEx Cup standings)
14th, 511-yard par-4: Thomas misses his birdie putt just to the right, and he makes par. (71st in the FedEx Cup standings)
15th, 546-yard par-5: Thomas is home in two, he makes a 15-foot putt, and he eagles the hole. (70th in the FedEx Cup standings)
16th, 167-yard par-3: After a late wind gust, Thomas comes up short of the green on his tee shot, he pitches to 31 feet, and he makes bogey. (70th in the FedEx Cup standings)
17th, 393-yard par-4: Thomas comes up just short of the green on his second shot, and he makes par. (70th in the FedEx Cup standings)
18th, 507-yard par-4: Thomas hits his tee shot left, he comes up short of the green on his second, he nearly chips in on his third shot, and he makes par. (71st in the FedEx Cup standings)
