Justin Thomas focusing on Ryder Cup
GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Justin Thomas is too occupied with helping the Americans end three decades of losing the Ryder Cup on European soil to worry about any criticism of him being part of that effort.
U.S. captain Zach Johnson had no second thoughts about using one of his six wild-card selections on Thomas, in a slump so severe that he failed to reach the PGA Tour's postseason for the first time in his career.
Neither did the six automatic qualifiers or vice captains who had a voice in the selections. Thomas has been an emotional spark in his two Ryder Cup appearances, along with a 6-2-1 record in France and Wisconsin.
As for anyone else, Thomas says he has a short memory when it comes to criticism.
“I definitely haven't kept the receipts,” he said Tuesday. "I don't feel like there is any good that can come from that. When it comes to stuff online, everybody has got an opinion, and theirs is right and everybody else's is wrong . ... The only thing that mattered to me was that Zach and the vice captains and the other six guys wanted me on the team.
“And now that I'm here, all of us hold the same weight as the other one,” he said. “We are all one, and it's just our job to go out there and try to win points.”
That seemed much easier the last time at Whistling Straits before a onesided gallery against an aging European team.
This version of Team Europe has a core of experience that is heavy at the top — Jon Rahm, Rory Mcilroy, newly crowned Fedex Cup champion
Viktor Hovland and a back room that has lot years of heritage from players who defected to LIV Golf but not the template of success.
Tuesday was the first full day of practice, with the Americans starting on the back nine at Marco Simone and the Europeans on the front nine, both facing a tough walk over hills and vales that figures to be taxing in the warmer-than-usual weather.
Pairings for the first session are not announced until the opening ceremony Thursday afternoon, though how the teams were paired in practice offered plenty of clues — the Scandinavia duo of Hovland and Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, the English duo of U.S. Open champions Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick.
European captain Luke Donald cautioned not to read too much into that — those who went off first had media obligations later in the day.
“We do have a plan in place, and
that plan can be adjusted throughout the next few days,” he said. “The vice captains are out there watching the players and seeing how they look and how they feel and all that goes into it.”
For the Americans, it was obvious even before practice rounds. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele have been partners since their first Presidents Cup in 2019 (with one exception at Whistling Straits), while Thomas and Jordan Spieth have been friends since they were in their early teens and partners dating to 2018.
Spieth also was a captain's pick, minus the scrutiny. He referred to Thomas as the backbone for this Ryder Cup team, even though Spieth has twice as many (four) appearances.
So what makes Thomas so good in this team environment? His record is 16-5-3 when the Presidents Cup — with far less intensity and attention — is included.