TULSA, Okla. — With all due respect to the week-to-week events on the PGA Tour, Justin Thomas is not grinding away on the range and in the gym because he is dreaming of winning tournaments like the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open or the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.
As a former World No. 1 and a major winner, he’s ascended to the ranks of the big game hunters, manipulating his schedule and preparations, so he peaks during events like the Masters.
This is why an opening-round 76 must have felt like a punch in the gut six weeks ago at Augusta National. As the cliche goes, you can’t win the tournament on Thursday, but you can lose it, and Thomas lost his chance at winning the green jacket with that 4-over par performance.
