Tag: PGA Tour

Watch out for Justin Thomas in 2017.

Published on by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

The 23-year old has already won two PGA Tour events this season and looks ready to take centre stage at the majors. 

Justin Thomas is relatively unknown to golf fans in Europe who don’t necessarily follow the PGA Tour.

But it won’t be too long until the 23-year old from Kentucky becomes the subject of every conversation.

It’s only be a matter of time before the American will be competing for major championships. When you watch him, a younger Jordan Spieth will instantly pop into your mind. The one who rose through the rankings at a ferocious pace a few years back before winning the Masters and US Open in 2015.

Thomas has the whole package in terms of a modern-day golfer. He can whack the ball off the tee for more than 300 yards- which is a must these days if you want to win one of these events- and an impressive short game which coincides perfectly with his driving ability.

The young prodigy is also very sensible when selecting his shots. Along with his caddie, the 23-year old always thinks about the environment around him. He thinks about the wind speed, surrounding rough, water hazards, bunkers and how the ball will react on the green.

He also takes into consideration his physiological state. His adrenaline to succeed plays a key factor on the young man’s decision making. This is what makes him so good, and it is why he is winning tournaments.

His win on Sunday at the SBS Tournament of Champions in Kapalua comes after he retained the CIMB Classic in Malaysia last October.

Thomas’s win last weekend also moved him up to 12th in the world rankings.

The impressive start to the season sees him second in the early Fedex Cup standings, just 36 points behind Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.

Thomas was unlucky to miss out at last year’s Ryder Cup, but the young prodigy will certainly be one of the first players on Team USA for this year’s Presidents Cup, which takes place at the Liberty National in New Jersey in late September.

Some have called for him to be paired with long-term friend Spieth in that competition, should both be fit and selected. That friendship could be tested though in the four majors which precede the Presidents Cup.

Spieth’s two major titles in 2015 have spurned Thomas on even more recently to improve his game, resulting in three PGA Tour titles within the last 15 months.

Although its been a short career thus far, the 23-year old looks more than ready to win his maiden major.

The Masters is the first to arrive in April, and the Tournament of Champions winner will no doubt be suited to the famous Augusta golf course with its slick fairways and greens.

His consistency levels over the four-day events are phenomenal. If he is playing well in the opening round, he will more than likely play well all weekend.

One things for certain, the PGA Tour is a gruelling 10 month slog in which keeping your performance above average is becoming increasingly difficult. At some point, Thomas will find himself struggling to make cuts consistently.

That will be a true sign of whether or not he is major championship worthy. Can he climb out of a hole should one appear beneath him. We have seen past champions sail into the distance after winning one. Just look at Charl Schwartzel, Webb Simpson and Graeme McDowell.

But Thomas is still a baby compared to other players in the field. He has a lot still to learn before he reaches his peak. There is no doubt in my mind that this man will go on to win multiple major championships.

The 23-year old is back in action this weekend alongside Matsuyama, Spieth and Olympic champion Justin Rose at the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017 SBS Tournament of Champions: Second round report.

Published on by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Two players lead at the halfway mark, with Jordan Spieth ending his second round in frustration.  

LEADERBOARD

T1 Moore, Thomas (-12)

T3 Reed, Walker (-11)

5 Dufner (-10)

THE LEADERS

After both hit six-under-par on Thursday, Justin Thomas and Ryan Moore were grouped together for round two. Both seemed to play off one another, as they recorded mirror scorecards. Each carded seven birdies and one bogey to end the day 12-under-par.

Thomas continues to build on his fine start to the 2016-17 PGA Tour season. He is currently second in the standings after his CIMB Classic victory, and his casual stroke-play on the 17th and 18th holes showed us the confidence this young 23-year old is currently waltzing around the Plantation course with.

Playing partner Moore was bogey free on the final nine, scoring five birdies. The 34-year old is currently ranked 51st in the world. A consistent start to the season has seen him finish within the top 25 in each of the three events he has played so far. A breakthrough 2016 season saw him debut in the Ryder Cup for USA.

PATRICK REED SHOOTS ROUND OF THE DAY

2015 Tournament of Champions winner Patrick Reed has always fared well in Kapalua. The American continued that trend as he carded a bogey free round, with a score of eight-under-par. The world number eight hit three consecutive birdies through three, four and five, with four more in the last five holes.

Reed hit every green in regulation for the first time in his PGA career on a day where he also only missed one fairway. He is now only one shot off the lead on 11-under-par, tied with round one leader Jimmy Walker in third.

Both contested a play-off in this event two years ago, with Reed coming out on top. Yesterday was another day that saw Walker fall by the wayside with a disappointing round of three-under-par.

The USPGA champion saw too many putts flirt around the cup, and dropped a shot on the 17th when he overhit his wedge shot to land past the green. A crucial birdie on the final hole might boost his confidence going into the weekend.

BETTER FROM JASON DAY, LESS SO FOR SPIETH 

World number one Jason Day is playing in his first event since September, and after a slow yet steady start on Thursday, the Australian picked up his game in round two.

Day ended on seven-under, after carding four-under-par. Aside from his bogey on the par four 13th, the Aussie hit five birdies, three of which came on par-fives.

A bogey-free third round from the world number one could see him back in contention on the final day.

The same can’t be said for Spieth. The defending champion struck nine birdies on Friday, with five coming consecutively between holes nine to 13.

However, the 23-year old also carded a double bogey on the par three eighth, and a triple bogey on the par four 17th, to end the day on five-under-par.

Seven shots down, the Texas-born world number five will need to shoot a 62 or 63 to get back in the race, but he sounded very deflated when talking to the media after his performance, claiming his tournament “was effectively over.”

2017 SBS Tournament of Champions: First Round.

Published on by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

US PGA champion Jimmy Walker leads after a bogey-free first round, with Jason Day and Jordan Speith making slow starts in Hawaii. 

THE LEADERBOARD

1 WALKER -8

T2 MOORE, HERMAN, THOMAS -6

T5 DUFNER, BERGER -5

THE LEADER

In what were ideal conditions, except for the occasional light rain shower, Jimmy Walker hit two birdies on the par-five 15th and par-five 18th for a two shot lead in the opening PGA Tour event of 2017.

Walker – who lost in a playoff with Patrick Reed in Kapalua two years ago – hit one eagle, six birdies and 11 pars at the Plantation course this time around to shoot 65.

In the off-season, Walker shortened his driver to try and improve his game off the tee. But with a driving accuracy of just 73.3%, it was his shots with the irons, wedges and putter that were the stars of the show.

His opening round ended with a GIR score of 94.4%, the joint highest in the round alongside Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.

With his impressive record in PGA Events taking place in Hawaii, little would look past Walker to avenge that 2015 defeat to Reed this weekend.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Justin Thomas: The 23-year old and world number 22 followed up his CIMB Classic victory with a six-under-par 67. His four birdies in five holes during the middle of his round eased the pressure off the young American, who made a slow yet steady start with seven consecutive pars.

Rod Pampling: One of the most experience men competing in the Tournament of Champions this year is Australia’s Pampling. The 47-year-old hasn’t competed in this competition for a decade, but you wouldn’t of thought it as he hit a four-under-par 69. He is tied seventh alongside world number six Matsuyama and US Open champion Dustin Johnson.

SPIETH AND DAY STRUGGLE TO GET GOING

It wasn’t the start to 2017 neither the world number one or the current defending champion would’ve wanted.

Spieth won this event last year with a score of -30. He will need to hit two majestic rounds if he is to get anywhere near that score again. Two bogeys on the back nine looked to deflate the former Masters and US Open champ, but his birdie on the 18th crucially see the 23-year old get into gear.

Day managed to end the day on three-under-par, but the Aussie did hit a bogey on the second hole to get off to a sluggish start. Birdies on both the 13th, 14th and 15th seemed to have rescued the round, only for the number one to hit a bogey six on the final hole.