This is a pivotal week for Justin Thomas, who is both trying to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs and play himself (back) onto Team USA for the upcoming Ryder Cup.
At the beginning of the year, the two-time major champ never figured he’d have to add the Wyndham Championship to his schedule to accomplish either, but here we are. But it’s not the first time that Greensboro has been the site of an important moment in JT’s career.
Way back in 2009, a 16-year-old Thomas made his PGA Tour debut at Sedgefield Country Club. And while Ryan Moore wound up winning the event, it was Thomas who turned the most heads by firing an opening 65 and becoming the third-youngest player to make a cut (he finished T-78) in tour history. Pretty impressive for a guy who hadn’t started his junior year of high school yet.
So it makes sense that the tour looked to tie that moment into Thomas’ return this year by showing him an old clip of him being interviewed after that phenomenal (emphasis on phenom) first round. There was just one problem: Justin wasn’t having it.
Check it out as someone hands him an iPad and Thomas passes it back, refusing to watch his younger self:
“I’ve seen it. I don’t want to watch it,” Thomas says in the clip. “It’s so cringeworthy. I sound like such a loser. I just can’t even watch this. I can’t do it.”
Damn, JT. That’s a bit harsh. You were only 16! Anyway, the good news is we all can watch the interview—and his highlights—here (interview starts at the 2:07 mark):
See? Not that bad.
Anyway, Thomas has said he’s willing to do pretty much anything to get out of his current slump. Maybe he should consider digging up that old orange shirt out of his closet ahead of Thursday’s tee time.
