Celebrate Youth: Justin Thomas makes history on the PGA Tour

August 25, 2009 — Sixteen-year-old Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky., and his father-caddie, PGA District 10 Director Mike Thomas, will never forget the adventure they shared last week at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C. On their way to their first practice round at Sedgefield Country Club, the air sensor on the family’s 2003 Cadillac broke down which meant a $760 expense at the nearest repair shop. On the drive home Sunday evening, the Cadillac’s right rear tire blew out 150 miles from home. Mike Thomas, a PGA Master Professional and head professional at Harmony Country Club in Goshen, successfully replaced the tire. In between, Justin Thomas needed no repair work as he became the third youngest player in PGA Tour history to make a cut. He opened with a sizzling bogey-free 5-under-par 65 — a round interrupted by bad weather on Thursday and completed on Friday. He followed with rounds of 72 and 71 to stand at 2-under-par 208. The bittersweet footnote to Thomas’ outstanding performance is that a Tour rule established in 2008 trims the final round to the low 70 scorers and ties when the number of total players surviving the 36-hole cut is 78 or more players. Thomas was one of 17 players missing the 4-under-par second cut. That group included major champions John Daly and Davis Love III. The Wyndham Championship was the ninth event of the year to employ the second cut. “I know what I accomplished; I made the real cut,” said Thomas. “It’s cool the support that I received.” Thomas, 16 years, 3 months and 24 days old, earned a sponsor exemption and his first Tour appearance by winning the American Junior Golf Association’s FootJoy Invitational in June at Sedgefield Country Club. The Tour youth age record is owned by Bob Panasik, who was 15 years, 8 months and 20 days old when he made the cut at the 1957 Canadian Open (T66). Tadd Fujikawa was 16 years and 4 days old when he made the cut at the 2007 Sony Open in Hawaii (T20). “It was a long week, but a good one,” said Thomas. “The bad weather was tough on everyone. I played nine holes Thursday, then 27 on Friday, 16 on Saturday and two on Sunday morning. Every night we ate at 9, got home about 10:30 and were up at 4:30 a.m. My Dad said that I’m going to enjoy Monday morning before school. I can sleep in until 6:30.” Thomas, who finished third overall and was low amateur in the recent Kentucky Open, is a junior at St. Xavier High School in Goshen. His Tour experience, he said, gave him on-the-job training about the highs and lows of competing among the best players in the game. Thomas’ opening 65, he said, made him hungrier. “I think I found out what it took to stay up there (among the leaders) and how tough it was to back up a good round with another one,” said Thomas. “I would have taken that 65 in the third round and then see how I could hold up. “The only downer was once I got to the clubhouse there wasn’t anyone that I could talk to. It was the only Tour event that I had played in. But the end of the week, I had Tour professionals coming up to me and wishing me well.” Mike Thomas, who has been his son’s only golf coach, also caddied for Justin in the Kentucky Open. Thomas said that he was overwhelmed by the support both from his home club and the crowd and volunteers at Sedgefield Country Club. “Our member-member event at out club is a huge event, and my board and membership insisted that I go to the Wyndham Championship to be with my son,” said Mike. “I can’t tell you how that made me feel as a host professional to get that kind of support. “And, there is no other way for me to thank those strangers from the Greensboro community who came out to the course to support us. It was truly touching, and we all left as friends. We can write a letter of thanks to a golf professional, but it isn’t the same unless you can truly thank each and every one.” The evidence of Justin Thomas’ impact in the championship wasn’t lost on any member of the gallery on Saturday. “Here we were about to tee off and playing with Tour professionals Jeff Klauk and Jimmy Walker,” said Mike, “and they got polite applause. When Justin’s name was announced, the crowd erupted with a loud ovation. It was kind of embarrassing when you think of what the Tour players accomplished to be there. But, the guys couldn’t have been nicer.”