ROCHESTER (N.Y.) — The pictures told the whole story. Justin Thomas, a distraught Justin Thomas, stared at the sky and ran his hand through his hair. He stood with his hands on hips, then was consoled by Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, his caddie.
It was six weeks before at the Masters, when the Jupiter resident had to make a putt of 15 feet on the Saturday morning rain-affected tournament in order to avoid missing out for the first time ever in his eight Masters appearances. Thomas’ reaction to the ball sliding by the cup in the wet surface went viral.
Two-time major winner was in the exact same position on Friday with an 8-footer to make the cut at PGA Championship.
He made the putt this time to finish within the cut-line. Thomas was glad he could be there on the weekend in order to defend his PGA Championship 2022.
It went from trying to par on No. Thomas’ drive found a fairway bunker after he thought his tee-shot would be in the fairway.
“But Tiger always said it and I always said it. You have to give yourself a shot, anything can happen. On this golf course I took a risk. See if we can try something crazy this weekend.”
Thomas, who shot a 73 on Friday, was 5-over Saturday and tied with 16 other players — including Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, and Viktor Hovland — 10 shots back of the leaders Scottie Schaffler, Corey Conners, and Viktor Hovland.
Rory McIlroy – one of Thomas’ playing partners, and also a Jupiter resident – draped his arm over Thomas’ shoulder to offer encouragement.
Thomas, who is ranked 13 in the world, said: “He said auto finish, great putt.” Thomas, ranked No. 13, is ranked 13th in the world. “I’ve played with him in the past when it went the other way, so he expressed his happiness to see things go this way.”
