Athletes and fans across the world of sports are grieving the loss of Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that tragically claimed nine lives last weekend. PGA Tour star Justin Thomas honored the late NBA legend on Thursday in his first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open by putting on Bryant’s high school uniform before playing the famed par-3 16th hole.
Earlier in the week, Thomas opened up about his emotional reaction to Bryant’s passing.
Via Golf Digest:
“I’ve never cried for another man that I’d never even met before. He was my favorite player.”
At the 16th hole, Thomas pulled on a Lower Merion No. 33 jersey before hitting his shot to the green.
💜💛 @JustinThomas34 played the 16th in Kobe Bryant's high school jersey @WMPhoenixOpen. pic.twitter.com/kaggwqInXp
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 30, 2020
Thomas is also using wedges this week stamped with Kobe-related phrases like “Mamba Mentality” and “81 points.”
JT paying tribute to Kobe with this new custom-stamped wedge pic.twitter.com/Z54NXch99Z
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) January 28, 2020
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