Young players keep rolling
CHARLOTTE — Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth have been friends and rivals since childhood, two 24-year-olds who first faced each other in junior golf, then in college and now on the professional circuits around the world.
While Spieth crashed the PGA Tour in spectacular fashion, especially during his historic 2015 when he won two majors and the FedExCup, Thomas needed a bit longer to achieve success against the world’s best.
Thomas broke through for his first PGA Tour title in the fall of 2015 but remained far removed from the spotlight on Spieth. Then Thomas went on a blitz of his own, winning last fall and then twice more to start the year in Hawaii. But Spieth eclipsed him again, adding three wins to his own résumé, including his third major championship at the British Open.
Heading into the 99th PGA Championship, the hype was once more on Spieth, who had a chance to become the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam with a victory at Quail Hollow.
Thomas, always effusive with his praise of Spieth, wasn’t really on the radar as he began prepping for the last major of the season. But with a thrilling two-shot victory capped with a superb final round, Thomas is a major champion and no longer standing in the shadow long cast by Jordan Spieth.
“Frustration probably isn’t the right word. Jealousy definitely is,” Thomas said with a laugh Sunday as he sat by the Wanamaker Trophy and spoke to his thoughts of Spieth’s immediate success as a pro. He went on to admit that he was jealous of Sergio Garcia when he won the Masters, of Brooks Koepka when he won the U.S. Open and of Spieth when he won the British Open.
“I wanted to be doing that, and I wasn’t,” Thomas said. “There’s only four of them in a year, and to be one of them, a major champion, is really cool.”
One of the first to greet Thomas as he walked off the 18th green was Spieth, Also there was Rickie Fowler, 28, who made a gallant run at winning his first major. Thomas’ housemate, Bud Cauley, 27, a fellow PGA Tour winner, also was there with a hug.
“It’s awesome and I think they know I would do the same for them. It’s a cool little friendship we have,” Thomas said.