OAKMONT, PA (93.7 The Fan) – If Justin Thomas hears another player complaining about Oakmont Country Club, saying the course is not fair or too difficult, his reaction is joy. Now 32-years-old, Thomas said he’s learned patience and that’s his big plan for this week at the US Open.
“Being perfectly honest and very selfish, I hope it psychs a lot of players out,” Thomas said. “It's a part of the preparation, like trying to go hit wedges or trying to get the speed of the greens or anything. It's getting a game plan for how you're going to approach the course mentally and strategically.”
He said he remembers playing at Oakmont CC in 2016. He said he had one of the greatest rounds of his life, hitting only seven greens, chipping in three times and shooting a one-under 69. Thomas recalls how upset Brooks Koepka was playing with him and he hopes others think that as well.
“I understand this place is hard,” Thomas said Monday. “I don't need to read articles, or I don't need to hear horror stories. I've played it. I know it's difficult. I also have faith that if I go play well and I'm driving the ball well and I'm hitting my irons like I know I can, I'm going to have a lot of birdie opportunities.”
“I just need to kind of pick my spots and take the hole and the course for what I have that day.”
It’s taking the course for what it is, accepting it’s hard, maybe borderline unfair. The two-time PGA Championship winner said you know what you are getting, it’s right there in front of you. Of course, you need to strike the ball well and limit putts, but it’s more for Thomas.
“I just feel like it's a great week to be in a great place mentally and very, very patient and kind of picking our spots out there,” Thomas said, as many players on tour refer to their caddy and coaches as a team. “Hopefully the weather can be nice to us the rest of the week and can firm the course up a little bit. It will be a nice test.”
Part of that being mentally strong is not getting lazy. You must maintain focus for every swing and be fully committed to every shot. Even if the results aren’t what you hoped, know you did what you needed to do and move to the next shot, quickly. Thomas emphasized you can pay for just one bad drive, one chip, one putt if your head is not fulling in it.
“You can kind of look stupid pretty fast, especially at a place like this,” Thomas said.
Thomas believes it was reaffirmed winning at Hilton Head this year that you need to trust and believe. You can’t force the issue. For example, he can’t come to the tee saying he needs a birdie, that’s where he gets in trouble. The 13-year PGA Tour veteran must think that if he executes, birdies will come. You can’t chase them, especially at a place like Oakmont Country Club.
JT on Scottie
What does Thomas think about why world number one Scottie Scheffler is having another great season?
“It's effortless,” Thomas said. “Every single aspect of his game is unbelievable. I think his mental game is better than anybody out here. To be able to play with those expectations and to stay present as often as he has to me is maybe more impressive than even the golf he's playing.”
“I just think it's so, so hard to do, and it's also hard to explain if you're in his shoes. He just doesn't make any mistakes and almost kind of lets himself be in contention versus forces himself in contention. He just seems to be playing better.”