Justin Thomas admits to 'trying too hard' to end winless drought

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Justin Thomas is happy the questions have (mostly) stopped, but that doesn’t mean he’s stopped thinking about it.

Thomas doesn’t need to be reminded that his last win came at the 2022 PGA Championship. He’s keenly aware. It was a topic of conversation as his play declined in 2023, built up by Thomas’ internal pressure to play his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup Team. It was top of mind last year, too, when Thomas rebounded statistically but couldn’t get it over the line at any tournament.

It feels like less of a thing now, for whatever reason. Perhaps because Thomas’ form closely resembles the player he was when he was winning all the time and reached world No. 1. Now, it’s not a question of if he will win, but when.

So as Thomas spoke with the media after his second-round 69 put him two shots ahead at this week’s RBC Heritage, he had a clear sense of what he must do differently to finally, mercifully, put the winless drought to bed.

“I'd say the majority of it has just been pressing and trying too hard,” Thomas said. “I think it's just that's something I feel like I did so, so well there for a couple of years is I just let tournaments come to me and I just trusted in my ability. That's just really been my key this week is I'm just trying to really trust my game and commit to what I'm doing.”

The 2023 Ryder Cup debacle is part of the reason Thomas understands this now. The pressure to make the American team was all self-inflicted. It occupied his thoughts constantly and when his game wasn’t performing like he hoped, he chased instead of waiting for good golf to come to him. He shot 81 at the U.S. Open and 82 at The Open Championship, derailing the tournaments he most hoped to play well. In the end, he still made the Ryder Cup team, but he learned his lesson.

It’s why Thomas didn’t let last month’s Valspar Championship irk him. He led with three holes to play, but bogeyed two of the last three holes to lose to Viktor Hovland. Thomas’ takeaway after the round: “I'll take a lot of good. Way, way more good than bad… I'm very, very proud of myself.”

Even Thomas’ perspective on making the Ryder Cup has changed. At this point two years ago, Thomas was stressed about qualifying. This year, he’s playing with an edge.

“I'm kind of excited about playing a little pissed off that I didn't get picked for the Presidents Cup team,” Thomas said. “I don't like feel like I deserved to, but internally I always feel like I'm going to be a great addition.

“It's a nice thing for me to get to do,” Thomas added of playing pissed off.

Thomas hopes not to need a captain’s pick at all. The next two days would go a long way in that pursuit. At 12-under, Thomas leads by two shots over Si Woo Kim and Russell Henley. Tommy Fleetwood is 9-under, three back. Scottie Scheffler is 8-under, four back. Thomas followed his course-record-tying 61 in the first round with a solid 2-under 69 on Friday.

“I have a lot of faith and confidence in what I can do,” Thomas said. “So I just need to let it happen.”