It was nothing like it is today. Durant recalled a time when he was in college at Morehead State in the 1980s when Thomas asked him to caddy for him at a PGA Senior tournament in Lexington, Kentucky. Copyright 2023 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. PT fondly remembered a young Justin playing the short course at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The holes were no more than 50-90 yards, and he would just go around and around trying to make a hole-in-one, he said. He was 31 years old, and already had been a professional for 13 years. PGA Tour posted a video slideshow, taking fans behind the scenes, and inside Justin Thomas trophy room. He was either going to beat me up or be really happy after that. But I mean, that's the kind of stuff that happens when you win tournaments. I know our staff now, most of our kids love to hustle.. Paul was declared ineligible because his membership to his new PGA section hadnt yet transferred. He did not have anything to say when asked about it and looked focused on the major. He stood up there like a man and just staked it, Paul said. He was all about making a hole-in-one. He had fun, but when it came to competition he was hard on himself. Paul Mike, too, enjoyed a lengthy tenure at one club, Harmony Landing Country Club outside of Louisville, and Justin reaped the benefits. He left school and declared himself a golf professional at the age of 17 and bounced around several clubs. PT stayed out of the way of Mike serving as Justins instructor as he developed into a PGA Tour star, but he did offer his own wisdom from time to time. I know it sure didnt pay much in those days.. Heaven got a good one yesterday. There would be other PGA Championship chances earned, however. He played Jaycees one time with a group from (ZCC) in the American Cancer Society tournament and made nine birdies. It was then that Thomas spotted his father, Mike, which made him think about his grandfather. Paul Thomas, Justin's paternal grandfather, was a PGA professional, too. Wish you were still here to tell me how many putts I missed on days like yesterday! He later became a club professional and instructor, teaching, among other, LPGA Tour winners Michele Redman and Tammie Green. Sam Blackburn is a sports reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder, part of the USA Today Network. He finished with a birdie at the 18th that kept him in the top five. Thomas said he had the tattoo done shortly before his grandfather died in early February at age 89. Duke is now a central part of Thomas' "His signature is very Arnold Palmer like, and I always remembered that. On Saturday night, Justin got the sad news that Paul, age 89, had passed away. Thomas was born in Ashland, Kentucky, and he left school at the age of 17 in hopes of making a career in professional golf. WebJustin Reed Walker (born 1982) is an His step-grandfather, Norton Cohen, President Trump nominated Walker to the seat being vacated by Judge Thomas B. Griffith, who retired on September 1, 2020. But a two-shot swing when he missed a 3-footer on No.14 and Westwood, one group behind, birdied the hole, had them even again. One of my greatest moments was when he hit a draw on this par-3 and made a hole-in-one. He was a lifelong club pro, having turned pro young to make money. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. He competed in the 1960 and 61 PGA Championships but did not have luck playing on the PGA Tour. However, he was unable to find success and break into the pro-tour. Paul has also played in the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont. Paul didnt have his own golf clubs, so he played his first rounds with the rental sets available at Avon Fields. Two-time PGA Championship winner and Louisville native Justin Thomas (current No. Peacefully passed away at home on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at the age of 76. He was one of the best players in the southern Ohio section year in and year out, Durant said. Soon after that, Woods single-car accident in Los Angeles had Thomas in tears. Getting the signature was the tricky part, so he called his grandmother. Thomas, the Jupiter resident, got so emotional he had a difficult time trying to say how much his grandfather meant to him and how he wished he could talk to him. And after struggling to meet his fathers high standards, Mike also wanted to ensure his son had fun on the course. Then he did. 9-12 on Sunday. Sean Martin manages PGATOUR.COMs staff of writers as the Lead, Editorial. Copyright 1996 - Tiger Woods holds the Tour's all-time mark for consecutive cuts made with 142. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/02/07/justin-thomas-grandfather-paul-thomas-death-phoenix-open/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, According to a story about Paul on PGATour.com, Justin Thomas cards nine birdies Friday at Waste Management Phoenix Open, Justin Thomas has 'tremendous opportunity to learn and grow' after homophobic slur. Yeah, it was too close for comfort, to say the least.. He suffered bogeys at 10 and 11 but finally had a highlight for the day when he holed a 49-foot putt for eagle at the short par four 17th. Thomas was in attendance when Justin won the 2018 WCC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club, the same site in which Thomas competed in the 1960 PGA Championship. That passion then reached Justin as well. Justin Thomas, in full,Justin Louis Thomas, (born April 29, 1993, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.), American golfer who, in 2017, won his first "major" at the 99th PGA Lynch: Justin Thomas learned something this week. Dog Leg News leads the pack in whats happening with golf today seriously. The putter was one of the strongest clubs in Pauls bag. Justin Thomas is one of the most popular golfers on the PGA Tour. Before Justin Thomas won golfs richest prize, Paul would regale him with tales from professional golfs hardscrabble days. I was forced out (of school) because of finances, and that was the first opportunity at halfway decent employment, Paul said. You have permission to edit this article. You could tell when he was 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, he had something. The course let caddies play on Mondays. Copyright 2023 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. His grandfather, unfortunately, passed away earlier this year in February. Thomas went pro in 2012 at age 20 and has already garnered Thomas grandfather, Paul, died at the age of 89 last month. That was a different era. The Thomas men all have strong short games. That one is on the inside of his right upper arm. Pletcher's Tapit Trice from post 5 is second in the morning line at 5-1. He still managed to save pars on both holes. Paul could appreciate such a shot because he grew up in an era that demanded toughness. His legacy will live on through his family and friends. Like his grandson, Paul, who was 89, entered the golf world early. PT knew the father-son relationship and knew how important that was. So, I like to compare it to how I was in 2014 a number of times in the final group and just kind of the putts didnt go in on Sunday, and you got to relearn what tendencies you have and then just keep on getting there, keep on getting in position. Ana de Armas was born in Cuba on April 30, 1988. His grandparents presence behind the 18th green was the reason Justin got emotional before hitting the final putt of his four-stroke victory at last weeks World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. 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And he sure did., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Two of his early assistant-pro jobs took him to York, Pennsylvania, and Tequesta, Florida, where he worked for Ohio native and established PGA TOUR winner Dow Finsterwald at Tequesta Golf Club. Tequesta is a short distance from Jupiter, where Justin Thomas and a parade of other PGA TOUR players now live. While Paul could not attend every event Thomas was playing, he would always cheer him on through television and massively embraced JTs 2017 PGA Championship win. I wasnt nowhere near good enough. Sunday was a different story at TPC Scottsdale for Jordy. He also made three cuts at the U.S. Senior Open. The victory gives Thomas 14 in his career, joiningan exclusive list that includes Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Tiger Woods as the only golfers with 14 PGA Tour titles before the age of 28. PONTE VEDRA BEACH The most difficult part of the day for Justin Thomas was not chasing and catching Lee Westwood and Bryson DeChambeau. Thomas said his mojo changed on Friday when he birdied the 16th and 18th holes, one of just 10 birdies on 18 the entire tournament. After he showed that he was going to make it, I told him, Only you can screw this thing up. (H/t Gunnar Rask) He was 89. Struggles on the tour led him to a career as a club pro, where he balanced an impressive playing career with his role as pro at ZCC. When Paul Thomas passed away at 89-years-old in February 2021, Justin Thomas was at TPC Scottsdale, competing at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Spieth struggled with his accuracy off the tee and his putting. Editor's Note: This article was originally published in August of 2018 after Justin Thomas' win at Firestone Country Club. It was not the 32 on the back nine of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Jordan Spieth Showed Nerves But Remains Encouraged: Jordan Spieth looked incredible when he shot a 10-under par 61 on Saturday that featured a career-high 10 birdies. When Paul Thomas passed away at 89-years-old in February 2021, Justin Thomas was at TPC That one is on the inside of his right upper arm. Today, 36 years later, golf is still a great part of his life, thanks to competitive playing days and the wonderful people he has met on this fabulous journey. Hearing about his grandfathers brushes with the games greats stoked Justins passion for the game. Justin Thomas Makes History At Players Championship After an incredibly emotional two months for Justin Thomas following the loss of his grandfather, the American claimed victory at The Players Championship. The head space I was in this week was a huge step for me., Enough for Thomas to believe this was probably one of the best rounds of my life, tee to green.. 2023 www.palmbeachpost.com. I talked to people, Thomas said. You could tell when he was 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, he had something. since early 2020. These were the humble beginnings of a golfing genealogy that produced one of todays top players. Both were on-hand at Firestone Country Club in 2018 when Justin won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. and He recalls when he and twin brother Ryan would take lessons from Thomas as children during family vacations at Peek n Peak Resort, where they would also get to play with the teacher. All Rights Reserved. While Thomas was often outspoken about Green and Redman and their play, he stayed in the shadows when it came to Justin. Justin Thomas is very close with his family, including his grandfather, Paul Thomas. Waste Management Phoenix Open:Photos|Leaderboard | Winners bag. WebHis step-grandfather, Norton Cohen, was president of the Acme Paper Stock Company and a prominent member of Louisville's Jewish community, while his maternal grandfather, Frank R. Metts, was a millionaire real estate broker who the New York Times characterized as a "power broker in Kentucky." Thomas took a deep breath, put his arms on the shoulders of his caddy, Jimmy Johnson, and buried his head. I think it's something, especially at our level, a lot of people probably think that they're bigger and better than that, but some of the thoughts and things I was feeling, it wasn't fair to myself, and I needed to do something. I was comfortable in the position I was in, and thats a very new position for me, because its been a little while, Spieth said. I said, This is weird, but can you have grandpa sign something? Thomas said. I have done some great things in my career in golf. He later joined the University of Alabama for further studies. Nobodys voice would make me happier when I would hear it over the phone. She said, `Should I even bother asking?' Youd enter one tournament from the last one. Paul served as an assistant pro at several clubs before becoming the head professional at Ohios Zanesville Country Club in 1963. Competitors cant be choosers. His best success came in his 40s and 50s; he finished T15 in the 1983 U.S. Senior Open and played with Palmer in the final round of the Citizens Union Senior Golf Classic in Lexington, Kentucky. Proud grandfather of Jay Jr. Instant access to the latest news, videos and photos from around the world of golf. He remembers winning the caddie championship a few years later in the pouring rain. For 25 to 28 years, Mike was part of a club in Ohio. But the mood turned somber when Golf Channel interviewer Steve Sands asked Thomas about his late grandfather. The PGA confirmed on Sunday that Paul Thomas died Saturday night at the age of 89. Later in his life, he made the cut in three U.S. Senior Opens. One month after a boom mic caught Thomas uttering the slur about himself as he missed a par putt, Thomas 89-year-old grandfather, Paul Thomas, died. I'm not embarrassed to say that I reached out to talk to people to kind of let my feelings out and just discuss stuff with them. Thomas teaching talent was rivaled only by his playing acumen, Durant said. All that was left was his approach shot and then the walk to the 18th green. To execute that exactly how we wanted was huge, Thomas said. Still, with four holes to play, he was just a shot off the lead but hit big hooks off the tee at the par five 15th and reachable par four 17th that ended his hopes. Not so much. Get out there and hit the sand wedge and the pitching wedge.. You cant play at that high of level and have two sets of voices.. Were all pulling for him and Im so glad to hear everythings been going well for him. Not all professional golf wins are equal. He would talk with him about golf all of the time, but it was more hey, lets work on that putting, or, hey I saw this out there. But Mike was in charge of helping him with his swing.

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