Ahead of the opening round of the PNC Championship Saturday, Justin Thomas' dad Mike, is marveling at the progress he's seen Tiger Woods making after suffering significant injures following a major car crash back in February.
Thomas, who is good friends with Woods, will be paired with his Tiger, along with his son Charlie -- who tied for seventh at the same tournament a year ago.
"It's crazy how good he's hitting it and how far he's hitting, for what he's been through," Mike Thomas said Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
This is Woods' first taste of action on a golf course since a Feb. 23 car crash caused significant injuries to his right leg and foot--leaving him hospitalized for weeks and inactive for months. He only just recently got the chance to play a few rounds on the links with his son.
Woods' slowly recovered, first starting off on crutches and then was hitting balls on the back end of the range during his Hero World Challenge two weeks ago in the Bahamas. Thomas is super excited to see his buddy back playing the sport he transcended.
"My excitement level is high just for him being out here and being somewhere other than his house and getting to see a lot of familiar faces," said Justin Thomas, a 14-time PGA Tour winner who has probably spent more time with Woods in the past several months than any other player.
"And know spending time with Charlie is a huge deal to him. So I know he's excited for that part.
"In terms of competing, I think his expectations are very low. But at the same time, he is who he is for a reason, so I'm sure he'll be pissed off if he doesn't play well."
Woods and his son will be playing in the final group with the Thomas duo. Thomas was among the new generation of players to visit and encourage Woods during his recovery from fusion surgery in 2017.
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