Thomas expects Ryder ‘hatred’
World No2 delighted by cheers at France Open American braced for hostility in September
Justin Thomas is steeling himself for “three days of hatred” when he returns to Le Golf National for the Ryder Cup in September, despite the Paris galleries extending a warm welcome yesterday.
Thomas shot a one-under par 70 in the first round of the France Open, outscoring his playing partner, defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, by four strokes.
The world No2 is three off the pace set by Welshman Bradley Dredge and clearly enjoyed his day on the course which will host the match between Europe and US; not least because of the cheers which greeted his four birdies.
However, Thomas expects that can be put down to the fact that he is the only top American who has taken the opportunity to conduct this scouting mission under tournament conditions. And he is sure the vitriol will replace the bonhomie in three months.
“Maybe the reception I had today was because people appreciated that I had come to play, I’m not sure,” Thomas said. “But it was certainly cool to come this far across the world and be made to feel this welcome.
“Obviously, I have never played a Ryder Cup yet so it is a little difficult to say what the atmosphere should be. But from the sounds of it every one is great. You could say it is kind of a three-day hatred thing, or even a week-long hatred.
“We [the Americans] have a lot of great relationships with players on the European team, and the media as well, and vice versa. But I am friends with a lot of Europeans that for that tournament they will hate me, and that is just how it is.”
Mother Nature also smiled on Thomas. The morning wave had by far the better of the conditions, with only world No5 Jon Rahm and Ireland’s Shane Lowry managing to break par in the afternoon. Yet Thomas still found it arduous even before the capricious gusts showed up.
“We had a little bit of a challenge with the wind coming in, but for the most part this place played very benign for how it can,” he said. “And it was still a very difficult course. I can’t imagine how it has the potential to play in September. I think all of us will be happy to know that this will be a matchplay and not a strokeplay event. You get a cold, rainy, windy day out here and you can post a pretty high number.
“You can’t really take any shots off. You really have to take each and every shot and execute really well. It’s funny, we never get claps in the States when we hit the fairway off a tee shot – they know how big a deal it is here.”
Graeme Mcdowell will definitely by involved in the Ryder Cup as the Ulsterman has been named as one of Thomas Bjorn’s vice-captains. But the former US Open champion is determined, at the very least, to put himself in the playing frame and, after finishing fifth in last month’s Italian Open, he opened with a 68 at the event where he is a two-time winner.
When asked the reason for his recent upturn in form, the world No177 replied: “Having come back to Europe and getting the vice captaincy and weight of the Ryder Cup being taken off my shoulders, I can freewheel. It feels nice to get the old feelings back that helped me become a top-50 player in the world and prepared me to win a major championship.”