HOYLAKE – Justin Thomas never imagined using the second round of the British Open as a tune-up for the 3M Open next week in Minnesota.
That speaks to the state of the game. And it's not good.
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Thomas is in a slump for the first time in his PGA Tour career, bad enough that his season could end before the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs begin, and it has jeopardized his chances of being in Rome for the Ryder Cup.
He missed the cut Friday — that was inevitable after he made 9 on the final hole of his opening round for an 82, his worst score in a major. And he had no choice but to make plans for the 3M Open next week and the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina after that.
“The golf in Minnesota is obviously slightly different than here in Liverpool,” Thomas said after a 71 in the second round. “But I'm hitting a lot of good shots. I'm just making so many bonehead mistakes.”
Thomas went into the British Open at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup, problematic on several levels. Only two tournaments are left before the top 70 advance to the PGA Tour's postseason. The top 50 are assured all the elevated $20 million tournaments next year.
Of greater concern to Thomas is the Ryder Cup. The top six players automatically qualify, and Thomas is at No. 13 and sinking. Qualifying ends after the second FedEx Cup playoff event, making it even more important for Thomas to be in the postseason.
Thomas still is under serious consideration for one of the six captain's picks by Zach Johnson. He has a 6-2-1 record in his two Ryder Cup appearances, while Thomas and Jordan Spieth are 4-2-1 in their seven team matches.
Throw in his Presidents Cup record — though not under the same pressure or scrutiny — and Thomas has a 16-5-3 record overall. His record with Spieth is 8-2-1.
But his current record raises questions. Thomas has only two top 10s this year without ever having a chance to win. The most recent was in March at the Valspar Championship.
“I want to make the Ryder Cup more than anything. I’m probably honestly trying too hard to do it,” Thomas said. "I’ve been trying to make it easy on Zach and get in the top six, but I seem to not want to do that with my golf.
“Have a couple events left to try to get in the playoffs and then make a little bit of a run and try to prove a point.”
Johnson said he is more concerned because Thomas is a friend, not so much his place on the U.S. team that plays Europe at Marco Simone starting Sept. 29.
“Obviously, he's a stalwart in that event,” Johnson said. "Those kind of moments, he's one of the best there is. Bottom line is this game is really hard. There’s going to be peaks. There’s going to be some valleys. Let’s hope whatever sort of non-peak he’s in, it’s short.
“Guys with talent like that and aren’t afraid to put their work in the dirt, if you will, typically find it,” he said. “It’s just a matter of when, not if. He’s too darned good.”
Thomas already added one event he wasn't planning to play to boost his standing. That was the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. He missed the cut.
Now he heads to the TPC Twin Cities, and then the regular season finale in North Carolina, and he can only hope he finds something — anything — quickly.
Odds are it will be up to Johnson, and Thomas can only hope he does enough in the next two weeks — or maybe longer — to state his case.
“I would like to think that my record is my best argument,” Thomas said. "I love the team events. I thrive in them. I just enjoy it. Playing with a partner could kind of ease me a little bit, relax me.
“I hate even having to hope for a pick,” Thomas said. “This is the first time since I first qualified that I’ve had to rely on a captain’s pick, and it’s not fun, especially when you’re trending the wrong way when other people are trending toward it. But I’m just hoping that I can finish this year out strong and my record speaks for itself.”
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