Thomas: Unfair to compare Brooks

NEW YORK – Justin Thomas hopes we can appreciate Brooks Koepka’s victory in the 101st PGA Championship on Sunday for what it is, and not compare it with Tiger Woods or what any other legend has done in the game.

“You can’t compare any of us to Tiger because the stuff that Tiger did — nobody has come close to. Now if Brooks continues this run and does this for 15 years, yeah you can compare the two somewhat. The guy’s won four majors; Tiger’s won 15,” Thomas said Monday at Ralph Lauren’s headquarters in Manhattan to launch his new PoloGolfxJT collection for the brand.

It’s important to note Koepka, 29, and Woods, 43, are in totally different places in their careers, Thomas says. Koepka has won consecutive PGA Championships and enters the U.S. Open seeking his third consecutive title in the event.

“They’re just so different. It’s not fair to Brooks either; everyone should be bowing down to him and giving him the utmost respect, because what he’s done is nothing short of miraculous and unbelievable. I know I’m jealous of him. I’m just hoping somehow to do some of the same.”

Thomas, the 2017 PGA Championship winner, had to withdraw this year because he’s healing from a bone bruise in his right wrist. He says he could have played but he’s focused on being 100% healthy for next month’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Watching Koepka and Dustin Johnson battle on the back nine on Sunday’s broadcast was tough for Thomas, who plans to play the Memorial in two weeks. He thought Koepka’s bogey saves on 11 and 14 were “huge” coming down the stretch.