With the rate he’s winning tournaments, it’s hard to find a venue on the US PGA Tour schedule where Justin Thomas doesn’t feel good about his chances. But Quail Hollow is starting to stand out among the crowd, already the site of his first Major win and now the site of one of his most clutch moments yet. He could add to that mystique by taking over the No.1 world ranking at the track in Charlotte, North Carolina, this week – and he doesn’t even have to finish in the top-10 to do so.
No, a simple outright 12th-place finish (or better) at the Wells Fargo Championship will jump Thomas into the top spot over Dustin Johnson, who is not in this week’s field. Thomas’ limited starts at Quail Hollow suggest that’s certainly in the realm of possibility. In addition to his US PGA Championship victory last August, the eight-time tour winner tied for seventh in the 2015 Wells Fargo, carding rounds of 69, 73, 65 and 70 to finish at 11-under. In 2016, the last time the Wells Fargo was played at Quail Hollow, Thomas missed the cut, but his performance in the season’s final Major erased that memory.
Thomas picked up right where he left off in 2017 this season, claiming two victories at the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges and the Honda Classic, and nearly adding a third at the WGC–Mexico Championship, where he lost to Phil Mickelson in a playoff. Since then, he’s made three starts, finishing fourth at the WGC–Dell Match Play, T-17 at the Masters and missed the cut last week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside teammate Bud Cauley.
While a 12th or better finish seems like a given for the world No.2, especially at a place where he’s had success, it could be a tall order thanks to the strong field. Fourteen of the top-25 players in the world are set to tee it up, including past champions like Rickie Fowler and two-time winner Rory McIlroy, who carded a third-round 61 at Quail Hollow in 2015 en route to a seven-stroke victory. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day and Justin Rose are in the field as well.
It will also be interesting to see how Thomas plays knowing he can become No.1, having had two opportunities to do it already and coming up just short both times. At the WGC–Match Play, Thomas admitted the No.1 ranking was on his mind during his semi-final match against Bubba Watson, which he lost 3&2. At the Masters, he needed at least a solo fifth and some help from Johnson to take over No.1, but he finished T-17.
