Justin Thomas’ broadcast debut was already off to a smashing success when he was asked about playing in the alternate-shot format early on the back nine. That was the perfect excuse for Thomas to break out a story from this December’s Presidents Cup, when he played alternate shot alongside Tiger Woods.
“I have a funny quick story about when I was partners with T-Dub in Australia this past year,” Thomas said. “It was on 16, we were all square and it was my tee shot.
“We kind of had the general consensus that we don’t say anything to each other unless we need help, so he hadn’t said anything to me — and I get up to the tee, 16 is a hard tee shot for me. It’s a dogleg left, wind in off the left, so I just need to try to get it in play. But it’s a long enough hole where I can’t quite hit something short off the tee or he’s going to have a mile in.
“T-Dub just walks up behind me without even thinking about it, first thing he’s said to me in two days, and just said, ‘I don’t care what I have in. Just hit the effing fairway.’ And walked away. And that was all I got from him.”
You’ll recall the end of the alternate shot (or foursomes) match in question. Thomas hit his tee shot 313 yards down the right side of the fairway and the match remained tied until the 18th green, where Thomas made perhaps the most memorable putt of the entire event. Here’s what that looked like:
Maybe Woods’ motivational speech worked. Regardless, here’s hoping for more from Justin Thomas, Sideline Reporter.