I know it sure didnt pay much in those days. Paul was a lifelong club pro, but also an accomplished player who competed in the same events as Palmer, Nicklaus and Hogan. He quickly established himself as one of the states top players. With Westwood carding a bogie on the par-3 17th, Thomas just had to keep his tee shot dry on No. All that was left was his approach shot and then the walk to the 18th green. Both followed Justins career regularly, and Justin purchased scooters for them to ride at PGA events to ease the burden of extensive walking long courses. To execute that exactly how we wanted was huge, Thomas said. Durant said it was intimidating caddying for his former boss, but it was only a matter of time before Thomas broke the ice. Justin is a tough guy and dug deep, likely for his grandpa, but he just couldnt. After his short major-stint, Paul Thomas spent most of his life teaching at the Zanesville Country Club in Ohio. You were always hustling and thats a word he would always use. Justin Thomas in a green jacket on a Sunday afternoon in April seems inevitable; if not this year, then at some point before his Masters career is done. Thomas has earned several accolades as a professional and continues to keep pushing for more. Paul was declared ineligible because his membership to his new PGA section hadnt yet transferred. In 1980 he was honored by the Golf Writers Association of America for writing the best news story that year, his coverage of Jack Nicklaus' U.S. Open victory at Baltusrol. Moving on, Mike Thomas is popularly known for being the father of a professional golfer, Justin Thomas. Both were on-hand at Firestone Country Club in 2018 when Justin won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Golf Digests Dave Shedloski spoke with Paul, who went by the nickname PT, after Justins PGA Championship victory in 2017, offering recollections of his grandson from his junior days. Who is Justin Thomas' Grandfather Paul Thomas? Paul could appreciate such a shot because he grew up in an era that demanded toughness. It wasnt even his tee shot on No. The golfer claimed a one-shot victory over Lee Westwoodto claim a 14th PGA Tour title and the 1.9million first prize. On Monday, Justin Thomas posted on Instagram: Heaven got a good one yesterday. 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. Thomas took a deep breath, put his arms on the shoulders of his caddy, Jimmy Johnson, and buried his head. After graduating St. Xavier High School, Thomas went to play golf for the University of Alabama where he would undoubtedly play the college's course called Ol' Colony Golf Complex which is a par-72 municipal course in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Justin Thomas honors grandfather with tattoo - PGA TOUR Both his dad and his granddad were instrumental in shaping his career. It was there where Durant met several big-name players, including legendary Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead, to name a few. Mike was influenced by his fathers devotion to that aspect of the game, and he enjoyed practicing shots that he could see go in the hole. I told her no.". He left school and declared himself a golf professional at the age of 17 and bounced around several clubs. That one is on the inside of his right upper arm. All Rights Reserved. Justin was a phenom whod prepared his entire life for the pro ranks. "He called me and said he would be charging me residuals every time he saw it on TV," Thomas said with a laugh. After Thomas hooked a tee shot after making the turn, he faced a second shot obstructed by a tree. Follow him on Twitter @SamBlackburnTR. Paul didnt have his own golf clubs, so he played his first rounds with the rental sets available at Avon Fields. Its the signature of his late grandfather, Paul Thomas, the first in a generation of golf professionals. Justin Thomas on Wining Players Championship, Tiger Woods Everyone else? Education Justin attended St. Xavier High School for early education. The victory was also an A post shared by Justin Thomas (@justinthomas34). After he showed that he was going to make it, I told him, Only you can screw this thing up. Yeah, it was too close for comfort, to say the least.. with both his father and grandfather having played college basketball. The victory makes Thomas just the fourth player to win the Players Championship, a major championship, a World Golf Championships event and the FedEx Cup after Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson and Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut in the defence of his title. And after struggling to meet his fathers high standards, Mike also wanted to ensure his son had fun on the course. He will always be remembered and now I am following in his footsteps as a golf professional.. I believe in what Im doing, Spieth said after shooting a one-over par 72 that tied him for fourth. Thomas trailed Palmer by just a stroke entering the final round, but shot a 77 to Palmers 67. He is a bit of a legend imo. That one is on the inside of his right upper arm. Thomas will move from No. PGA Championship -- Family connection makes Justin Thomas' Paul and Phyllis Thomas had never been on-hand for one of their grandsons nine PGA TOUR victories. Paul, who twice played in the PGA Championship (1960 and 1961) and also competed in the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont, would pass his love of the game down to his son, Mike Thomas, Justins father, who also became a club professional in Kentucky. The older Thomases could be overly technical, though, so Mike tried to keep his instruction of Justin simple, focusing on the fundamentals. 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. Youve been hitting every iron shot about five or six feet from the hole. 18 that was drawing left but somehow straightened out on the first bounce and hugged the fairway feet from the water. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) Justin Thomas played the Sunday's final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open while mourning the death of his grandfather, Paul. Thomas said he had the tattoo done shortly before his grandfather died in early February at age 89. I would say the most help I ever gave him was playing with him and talking to him, he said. He later made the cut in the 1982, 1983 and 1987 U.S. Senior Opens,was twice named Central Ohio PGA Player of the Year and won the Central Ohio PGA Championship and COPGA Seniors twice each. As he was walking away, he said: Dang man, whyd you do that to me? and raised his arms to wipe away tears with his shirt sleeve. In his case, he simply enjoyed being Grandpa. Justin Thomas Paul played at Firestone CC in 1960 and Olympia Fields in 61, and he also competed in the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont. May the Thomas beloved pioneer Rest In Peace. JT was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to an avid golf-loving family. Thomas did not leave the tournament immediately and held on to his emotions to complete his rounds. "His signature is very Arnold Palmer like, and I always remembered that. Paul Thomas begat Mike Thomas who begat Justin Thomas, the winner of the 2017 FedExCup and the defending champion at this weeks PGA Championship. Paul has also played in the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont. Thomas He punctuates this sentence with a laugh, an acknowledgement that this scene a 10-year-old boy walking through dark woods on the way home from work is a remnant of a bygone era. Copyright 2023 PGA TOUR, Inc. All rights reserved. It's the signature of his late grandfather, Paul Thomas, the first in a generation of golf professionals. I remember telling him a long time ago that, as well as he drives the ball, dont spend your time hitting those irons. Kostis & McCord Off Their Rockers Ep 1 Youre Fired! There was a problem saving your notification. She said, Should I even bother asking? I told her no.. His dad is his only teacher, and thats the way it should be.. Paul Thomas, who was a longtime head golf professional, would have been proud at how his grandson overcame a start in which he was outside the cutline after the first 27 holes and recovered to card a 64-68 on the weekend on the way to a 14-under 274 for the tournament, one shot better than ageless wonder Lee Westwood. You have permission to edit this article. Hes shot his age every year since turning 64. Paul was declared ineligible because his membership to his new PGA section hadnt yet transferred. Paul had competed on that course at the 1960 PGA Championship. Paul Although he did not win, Justin went on to fulfill his obligation and played in the tournament with such news weighing heavy on He birdied four of the final six holes, including three straight at 15, 16 and 17. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age,
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