Tag: Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass

Erik van Rooyen proving he’s more than a mustache at 2022 Players Championship

“It kind of has a mind of its own. Especially with the windy conditions here, it just goes all over the place.”

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The man with the striking ‘stache – think Wyatt Earp at the O.K. Corral – has game.

While the 32-year-old South African looks like he just stepped out of a black-and-white Western with a couple of six-shooters on his hips, he’s been a forceful presence with his clubs through the first four days of The Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

He holed out from 62 yards on the par-5 9th to end his round and holed a bunch of 20-footers for birdie on his outward nine to finish Sunday’s storm-delayed second round on the first page of the leaderboard.

“Hit it perfect,” van Rooyen said of his shot that found the bottom of the hole.

When play was suspended due to darkness at 7:35 p.m. local time, van Rooyen was 5 under through 45 holes. That placed him four shots out of the lead set by Anirban Lahiri in the Tour’s flagship event that boasts the best field in golf and a purse of $20 million.

Players: Leaderboard | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ streaming

Although he’s well known for going nuclear and destroying a tee marker in the 2021 PGA Championship, the video going viral and leading him to genuinely fall on his sword with an apology, his mustache is all the rage.

He’d like to change that, obviously, with his play on golf courses worldwide, but he’s having fun with the hair above his upper lip.

“Honestly, it’s the same thing over and over. ‘Love the mustache.’ ‘Love the mustache, man.’ Yeah, it’s good fun,” van Rooyen said. “Honestly, I didn’t really plan on it, but it’s sticking here a bit longer than I thought it would.

“It kind of has a mind of its own. Especially with the windy conditions here, it just goes all over the place. So I don’t have the control over it.”

What he does have is more control of his playing schedule since he won the 2021 Barracuda Championship, his lone PGA Tour title. It came with a two-year exemption that freed him up to plot out a schedule to his liking instead of being forced to chase as many starts as he could to keep his playing status.

“I think the feeling was vastly different a year ago, all new golf courses, trying to find my feet out here, and not playing well compared to everything at my feet this year,” he said. “I feel like I’m playing really well this year. I had two good finishes in the Middle East on the (DP World Tour). I haven’t quite scored well enough out here yet, but I’m finding my way.”

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Players Championship cut finally made following bitterly cold Florida morning at TPC Sawgrass

When 36 holes were complete, Sam Burns and Tom Hoge were atop the leaderboard at 7 under.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – There is no snow on the ground, but winter was definitely in the air Sunday morning at TPC Sawgrass.

When players took to the Stadium Course for resumption of the Players Championship’s second round at 8:15 a.m. ET, the wind chill factor made it feel like it was 25 degrees. Caddies were dipping towels into buckets of water to clean clubs and golf balls in the future; the towels froze up quickly.

The thermometer struggled to get past 35 for much of the morning.

It didn’t cross 50 until around 12 noon.

“It was freezing,” said Tommy Fleetwood, who finished off a 1-over 73 that left him at 5 under through 36 holes. “It was really, really cold this morning. The sun warmed things up a little bit. But this morning was like as cold as I think I’ve ever played a Tour event, for sure.”

Players: Leaderboard | How to watch | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ streaming

Storms beginning Wednesday night forced the second round into Sunday. The tournament also had to deal with ferociously high winds on Saturday. The first round took 54 hours, 16 minutes to complete. The second round? Finished in a mere 27 hours, one minute.

“It was not warm,” said Harold Varner III, who has posted consecutive 69s to sit at 6 under. “I’m in a lot of clothes right now. Funny enough, I used to live here, so I’ve played it colder. It is what it is.”

When 36 holes were complete, Sam Burns and Tom Hoge were atop the leaderboard at 7 under; Burns shot 69 in the second round, Hoge a 71.

A shot back in a tie for third were Harold Varner III (60) and Erik van Rooyen (67). Another shot back at 5 under were Fleetwood, Abraham Ancer (71), Paul Casey (69), Corey Conners (69), Keith Mitchell (72), and Taylor Pendrith (71).

The cut came in 2 over with 71 players moving on, including Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, who made the cut on the number.

Among those missing the final two rounds were Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Adam Scott and Jason Day.

“I was onto my third sweater, I think, and I still wasn’t warm enough,” said Hoge, who won earlier this year at Pebble Beach. “You know what, I think we definitely got the good end of the draw. That’s golf, I guess. It was certainly difficult out there still this morning. I felt there were a lot of challenging golf shots out there.

“I just tried to hit a lot of fairways and greens. I managed it very well until the 18th hole. But it was a solid day for me, and hopefully I keep that going.”

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Players Championship: Wacky, windy Saturday tees up all kinds of havoc

March Madness tipped off at TPC Sawgrass. All manner of chaos arrived with the high winds on Saturday in the Players Championship.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – March Madness tipped off at TPC Sawgrass.

All manner of chaos arrived with the high winds on Saturday in the Players Championship at the Stadium Course. Gusts reaching 40 mph and steady winds between 20-25 mph were on the tee sheet as the first round ended in the Tour’s flagship event that carries a $20 million purse and the second round commenced.

Yes, the first round was completed – at 2:01 p.m. local time, 54 hours, 16 minutes after it began. The rain that started Wednesday night finally ended Saturday morning after dumping four inches of H2O on the Stadium Course. But when sunny skies finally emerged, the wind started howling.

Shortly after first-round play restarted at noon on Saturday, four world-class players – Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa – rinsed tee shots in the water at the par-3 17th. Three hours later, in the second round, Koepka, Scheffler and Morikawa found the water again on the 17th.

Rory McIlroy hit driver into a headwind on the par-4 18th, his ball coming to rest 247 yards from the tee – he was averaging 326.7 yards per drive this season coming into the tournament. And Koepka asked his caddie if he could get home in two – on the 456-yard 18th. He drove his ball into the rough and didn’t get home in two the first time around.

The Players: Leaderboard | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

Brooks Koepka of the United States putts on the 17th green as Xander Schauffele of the United States and Scottie Scheffler of the United States look on during the second round of The Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 12, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Many players went hatless. Keegan Bradley was assessed a 2-stroke penalty for incorrectly marking his ball on the green of the par-5 16th hole after the wind blew the ball into a new spot. Schauffele made a snowman on the 18th. Emiliano Grillo, one of the best ball-strikers in the game, hit four balls into the water and shot a 10-over-par 46 on the back nine during his second round.

And they were far from the only players scratching their heads, talking to themselves and finding watery graves.

“One of my best rounds of my life, honestly,” Bradley said after shooting, check notes here, a 1-under-par 71. Yes, a 71. “This is as tough as golf as you’re ever going to play. This is a course you want to play under no conditions because of how tough the shots are, and to play in this wind, to play like that, that was really, really a special round.”

The day’s best round was posted by Bubba Watson, who shot a bogey-free 68. Defending champion Justin Thomas shot the only other bogey-free round and signed for a 69. The two are the leaders in the clubhouse among those who have finished 36 holes. Only 48 of the 142 players have completed 36 holes.

“It was one of those days you had to trust, and you had to be committed to, your shots, even if they go wild,” Watson said. “The key for me, though, is making putts. When I can start making some putts, which I did today, that’s really the key to any round for me.

“Yeah, obviously ball striking, I hit some wayward shots, maybe not because of me but because of the conditions, but I made the putts, and that’s really what kept the whole round going all the time.”

Thomas said he would have had a fun day playing in conditions like Saturday’s if he were with his buddies and playing at home.

“It’s not really fun when it’s TPC Sawgrass for The Players, and you are kind of around the cut line to start the day. It’s so hard,” he said. “I just tried to hit as many greens as I possibly could today because I knew it’s really hard to chip it close.

“It’s really hard to make even two-, three-, four-footers with that wind.”

The spotlight naturally was on the par-3 17th, which is technically a peninsula but is always referred to as the island green. There were only two birdies made on the 136-yard, par-3 17th on Saturday; there were 27 balls that ended up at the bottom of the lake surrounding the green.

“Geez, no,” 2019 Players champion Rory McIlroy said when asked if 17 could have played any tougher. “I hit a 7-iron today that pitched 123 or 124, and my 7-iron goes between 185 and 190. So playing 60 yards of wind.”

Ask Koepka about the 17th – and then duck. He made a double-bogey 5 the first time he played it Saturday and a triple-bogey 6 the second time. In his six starts in the championship, he is 20-over par on the hole with 10 water balls.

“There’s nothing you can do,” Koepka said about facing the 17th in high winds. His second go-around at the hole ended the same way his first did – a tee shot into the water. In his second round, after hitting an 8-iron 205 yards on the par-5 16th, he hit 8-iron on the 17th 105 yards.

“We hit a gust,” said Koepka, who had a hearty laugh at his own expense after he hit the shot.

Eight groups did not start their second round. Among those players was Pebble Beach winner Tom Hoge, who is 6 under, and Keith Mitchell, who is 5 under. Tommy Fleetwood, who shot 66 in round 1, got three holes in and is at 6 under.

Play is scheduled to resume Sunday at 8:15 a.m. Players better layer up – the forecast calls for temps to reach 55 at the most. If play does resume at 8:15 a.m., it will be 35 degrees; with the high winds, the wind chill will be in the upper 20s.

Expect more chaos.

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Gaffe on 16 costs Keegan Bradley two shots during second round of Players Championship

Bradley was 2 under for the tournament, then trouble began at the par-5 16th.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Keegan Bradley was rolling.

Having completed his first round in the Players Championship on Friday, an even-par 72, Bradley started his second round on the 10th hole Saturday when play resumed at 12 noon in this storm-delayed tournament on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

After knocking in a bomb for birdie from 52 feet on the par-4 15th, Bradley was 2 under for the tournament. Then he reached the par-5 16th with two mighty blows.

Facing an eagle putt from 70 feet, Bradley marked his ball.

Then his troubles began.

A gust of wind moved the ball but not the marker. After it came to rest, Bradley retrieved the ball and placed it ahead of his original mark. But according to a provision under Rule 13.1 D, Bradley was supposed to play from the ball’s new location after the gust of wind. His gaffe cost him a two-shot penalty.

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Bradley then three-putted and walked off with a double-bogey seven.

He birdied the second and was 1 under for the tournament through 14 holes.

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Players Championship live updates: Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka all go into drink on 17

Check out live updates throughout the day from our team at TPC Sawgrass.

The Players Championship is always a test, but with wild weather conditions at TPC Sawgrass, the challenge is greater than ever this week in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Due to the volatile nature of the schedule, the changing weather conditions and more, we’re adding a live updates page to stay on top of each facet of the tournament.

A loaded field of the world’s best players – 46 of the top 50 after Bryson DeChambeau withdrew on Sunday and Kevin Na followed suit on Monday – are at the event. Justin Thomas is back to defend his 2021 title.

Check back throughout the day for more as our team of reporters and photographers capture the scene.

The Players: Leaderboard | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

UPDATE (12:32 p.m.): The weather is making it difficult to gauge where players need to hit, but it’s also simply difficult to maintain any sense of comfort. For example, many players are putting hats and gloves while walking, then taking them off while hitting. It’s not the temperatures now (it’s 61 degrees at this time), but the winds that are causing the most difficulty.

UPDATE (12:15 p.m.): We just witnessed the unthinkable: In the face of howling winds, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka all knocked their balls in the water on No. 17. Schauffele’s was particularly off-line.

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Ever since Keith Mitchell listened to Michael Phelps, things have gone swimmingly

Mitchell thought back to the record-shattering swimming king he credits with helping to transform his career.

For Keith Mitchell, maybe Michael Phelps made the difference.

Yes, that Michael Phelps.

After Mitchell finished his round at The Players Championship, he thought back to the record-shattering swimming king he credits with helping to transform his career.

“I just remember feeling like a loser talking to him sometimes, how I felt on the golf course, like pity and sorrow, and this game is hard,” Mitchell recalled from his meeting with Phelps. “He just pretty much said there’s no place for that if you want to be at the top.”

A pep talk that paid off.

Nearly eight months away from NCAA football champion Georgia’s scheduled trip to the First Coast for the Florida-Georgia gridiron classic, Mitchell and Brian Harman brought some Bulldog bark to The Players Championship.

Ancer among leaders: World No. 21 Ancer might be due at Players; weather slows him on first day

Players Notebook: Volunteers passed first course evacuation in six years with high marks

Mitchell battled to a 5-under 67, one shot off the lead, and Harman rallied from a shaky start to ascend the leaderboard with a 4-under 68 to highlight a promising day for the Southeast Georgia contingent in Thursday’s storm-disrupted first round.

The Sea Island, Ga. residents, separated by only 12 spots in the World Golf Ranking — Harman at 61st, Mitchell at 73rd — took The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass by storm.

They wouldn’t be the first Southeast Georgia residents to lift the trophy, a list that most famously includes two-time champion Davis Love III.

Mitchell stayed nearly trouble-free, including an eagle at No. 9 to wrap up the front nine in 33. He then birdied No. 12, No. 13 and No. 16 on his way home to a 67. If not for a bogey at 18, Mitchell would have finished as the Thursday night co-leader alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Hoge. He didn’t get out on Friday before a weather delay.

His mindset, he said, is different now. For that, Mitchell points to his meeting with 23-time Olympic gold medalist Phelps.

“We had dinner a long time ago in Phoenix and he was talking about some really thoughtful things that apply to every sport,” Mitchell said. “I’ll never forget, it really made an impact on me. It’s not just your typical golf stuff like one shot at a time and stay patient. It was more of kind of how to act and focus on the course, which is how you would do in swim meets.”

The Players: How to watch | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

Mitchell’s only PGA Tour victory came in 2019 at the Honda Classic, but he’s been piling up the top-15 finishes of late: six already this season, including a tie for 12th at Sea Island in the RSM Classic last fall.

“[Phelps] was kind of helping me through some like downs and kind of really hit the reset button about a year ago,” he said. “That kind of started everything.”

Mitchell has started well at the Stadium Course before. His issue was the finish.

In 2018, he shot an opening-round 67, only to follow up with a 75 and a 78 that plunged him down into a tie for 77th. His best finish at The Players came in 2019, when he shot a 71 and a 65 before fading over the weekend to 3 under for the tournament and a tie for 47th.

This time, he’s more confident.

“I’ve had a little bit of time to adjust to the spotlight a little bit at this golf tournament, because in the Stadium on 17 and 18 is really unlike any other golf course and any other tournament,” he said. “We all players treat this like a major, so it feels like it when you’re out there. That would have been my first major [in 2018], and I definitely did not handle it very well, so hopefully I can do better.”

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Harman, meanwhile, didn’t let his afternoon slip away after back-to-back bogeys.

The day brought a superb finish for Harman, who turned his Thursday around as the first golfer to hit a shot on the back nine, opening the delayed round at 7:45 a.m. A too-short approach on No. 10 led to a bogey, and he dropped another stroke after finding water on No. 11. But he found a rhythm after the weather delay, with birdies on No. 2, No. 4, No. 6 and No. 9.

That rhythm has been a recurring theme for Harman at TPC Sawgrass, particularly since the tournament’s move to March. Harman owns three top-10 finishes here, including two since the schedule switch: a tie for eighth in 2019 and a tie for third in 2021.

The numbers say Sunday could bring the strains of “Glory, Glory to Old Georgia” to the First Coast. Since 2008, 11 former University of Georgia players have combined for 38 PGA Tour victories.

What might be even sweeter than victory at The Players? For Bulldogs like Mitchell and Harman, maybe winning The Players as a Bulldog in Gator Country.

“It’s tough seeing a lot of Gator fans out there for sure, but I got a few ‘Go Dawgs,'” Mitchell said, “so hopefully they’ll be around for the weekend.”

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.

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Luke List WDs from Players Championship; Michael Thompson off to great start in surprise appearance

Meanwhile, Michael Thompson’s journey to the first tee was anything but conventional.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Luke List, who won his first PGA Tour title earlier this year in a playoff at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, withdrew after eight holes Friday morning due to a neck injury. He will not be replaced in the field.

Meanwhile, Michael Thompson’s journey to the first tee of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Friday was anything but conventional.

Thompson, a winner of two PGA Tour titles, became the fifth alternate for the Players Championship when Ryan Brehm won the Puerto Rico Open last Sunday.

Then Thompson moved to fourth when Bryson DeChambeau withdrew. Then he became the third alternate when Kevin Na withdrew. He moved to second when Hideki Matsuyama withdrew. Then he was first in line when Aaron Raj withdrew from the alternate list.

The Players: How to watch | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

And then, well before the sun rose Friday morning, Thompson got into the field when Tyler McCumber withdrew with a shoulder injury. Because McCumber did not tee off on Thursday due to weather delays, his first-round tee time was moved to Friday. That proved beneficial to Thompson.

At 7:15 a.m., Thompson teed off in the PGA Tour’s flagship event. And made eagle on the second hole, a birdie on the fourth, another birdie on the fifth before a bogey on the eighth knocked him down to 3 under.

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With Saudi Arabia noise behind him, Dustin Johnson’s focus is on the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass

“Any time you have something that’s not what you’re doing it’s going to distract you.”

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Go figure.

Dustin Johnson has won all around the world – more than 25 victories, 24 coming on the PGA Tour – is a former world No. 1, a two-time major champion.

Among the sites he’s won are the rugged Oakmont Country Club, Augusta National Golf Club, Riviera Country Club, Pebble Beach Golf Links, the Plantation in Maui, and TPC Southwind in Memphis.

But there’s one course that has his number – the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, home to the PGA Tour’s flagship event. In 12 appearances on Pete Dye’s masterful, troublesome gem, Johnson has but one top 10.

Makes no sense, right? Even Johnson doesn’t know why he hasn’t had more success, either.

Players: How to watch | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ | Tee times | Sleepers

“Honestly I don’t know because I like the golf course and I feel like it sets up well for me,” Johnson said Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s start of the Players. “I would say if anything that’s held me back, it’s probably just putting around here.

“But I feel like moving to March, I feel like I can read the greens a little bit better.

“The last few days I feel like I’m rolling the ball really well on the greens, but I would say that would probably be the number one thing. Just playing in May, I don’t know why I always struggled on the greens.

“I feel really comfortable out here, and I’ve had a little more success the last few years since we moved it and hopefully can continue that.”

As far as the Stadium Course, Johnson, 37, has his only top 10 in the Players – a tie for fifth in 2019 – since the tournament moved from May to March.

“I feel like the course is in better condition, obviously, with the overseed,” Johnson said. “But plays a little bit longer. Obviously, in May it’s really warm. The course plays really fast. I feel like this time of year the course definitely suits my game a little bit better.”

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Not much has suited his game of late. Johnson has dropped to No. 9 in the world, his lowest rank since March of 2016. And after winning 15 times from the start of 2016 through the end of 2020, he’s won just once – the 2021 Saudi International.

He missed the cut in the Genesis Invitational in his last start three weeks ago.

“There’s not a very simple answer, but just haven’t played well,” Johnson replied when asked why he’s gone more than a year without winning.

“I don’t know if we have enough time,” he said when asked for the more complicated answer.

When pressed a bit, however, Johnson continued.

“Last year I felt like I was doing a lot of driver testing, and kind of took away a little bit from what I needed to be working on,” he said. “Was testing all year really. I must have tested 100 drivers probably.

“So then obviously testing drivers all year that kind of leaks into the iron game, and it just felt like I never could really match it up where if I was driving it well, I wasn’t hitting my irons very good, if I was hitting my irons really well, I wasn’t driving it good. So it was just kind of a frustrating year.”

He hinted at another reason. Johnson was rumored to be one of the players who would join the potential Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League that would siphon off players from the PGA Tour and be a direct rival.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan hasn’t sat still and has said the PGA Tour is moving on with tremendous momentum and any player who would join up with the Saudis could face banishment from the PGA Tour.

Some of the game’s top players – Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, and Bryson DeChambeau – have been vocal in recent weeks in their support of the PGA Tour.

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Johnson joined the list three weeks ago when he released a statement saying his focus will be on the PGA Tour. But the noise surrounding the league for more than a year weighed on Johnson.

“Any time you have something that’s not what you’re doing it’s going to distract you,” he said. “But for me, I don’t think it was too much of a distraction. Maybe it was, I don’t know. I can’t really answer that.

“But just wanted to have my complete focus on golf and playing on the PGA Tour. That was the main reason for the statement.”

And this week on the PGA Tour, his focus is the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

“I had a lot of good work last week. I’ve had some good work this week,” he said. “The game has been pretty good this year, just have struggled with the putting a little bit. But put in a lot of work last week, this week, and feel like I’m rolling it a lot better.”

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Five things to know: No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship

Did Pete Dye dream up this hole? How many players hit the water? Who made the last ace on No. 17?

How hard can it be? It’s just a wedge, maybe a 9-iron, for the best players in the world, right?

Factor in wind, water, nerves and a giant gallery, and No. 17 at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is so much more than the yardage on the scorecard might indicate. With its green perched atop wooden bulkheads above a lake, No. 17 is one of – if not the – most famous holes in golf.

While PGA Tour pros normally would tear apart such a short hole, the scoring average on No. 17 during the 2021 Players Championship was 3.23, almost a quarter shot over par, to make it the third-toughest hole versus par on the course that year.

See the full StrackaLine yardage book for TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course here.

So what gives? If you’ve been fortunate enough to play the course – ranked No. 1 in Florida on Golfweek’s Best list of public-access courses – then you already know. If you haven’t played it, you owe it to yourself.

Here are five things to know about course architect Pete Dye’s most iconic hole – if you can give credit to that famous designer after all.

The Players: Tee times | Odds | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

Alabama football coach Nick Saban offered up sage advice to Justin Thomas ahead of 2022 Players Championship title defense

“I feel a lot better about things at this time this year than last year,” said Thomas ahead of his title defense.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Alabama head football coach Nick Saban knows a thing or two about defending a title, having won seven national championships.

So when he spoke recently about making a successful defense, Justin Thomas listened. What Thomas heard may come as a surprise to many, but the world No. 8 and devoted member of the Roll Tide family loved the message.

Saban said you don’t defend a title, so go out, have fun and just try to win again.

“It’s so true,” Thomas said Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass as he began preparations to defend his 2021 Players Championship title. “I don’t have to defend anything. The PGA Tour isn’t going to come to my living room and take my Players Championship trophy from 2021 from me after this week. That’s mine forever.

“I’m just going to go try to win it again. Have fun. That’s all I’m going to try to do. I am very glad that he said that because it definitely resonated well with me.”

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Heading into last year’s Players, Thomas wasn’t having much fun.

He was caught up in a vortex of turmoil after he uttered a homophobic slur in the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January, immediately apologized and did so on many occasions, but lost one sponsor and had another publicly scold him.

Then his grandfather passed.

Then Tiger Woods, a friend and mentor, was in a serous car accident.

“It’s been a crappy two months,” Thomas said last year. “It took a lot out of me mentally. It tested me mentally, physically, emotionally, and I’m very proud of myself for getting it done.”

What Thomas did to get it done was stay patient through two so-so rounds and shoot 64-68 on the weekend to topple the best field in golf by one shot. While he hasn’t won since, he’s feeling much better than last year at this time as he comes into this week off a sixth-place finish in the Genesis Invitational, a tie for eighth in the WM Phoenix Open, a tie for 20th in the Farmers Insurance Open and a tie for fifth in the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

“My game is in a lot better place. I’m a lot more confident. I’m in a better place mentally. I just feel a lot better about everything,” Thomas said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean anything great is going to happen, but that’s the fun and miserable thing about this game that I’ve decided to play.

“I feel a lot better about things at this time this year than last year.”

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That feeling extends outside the gallery ropes. The 2017 FedEx Cup champion and winner of 14 PGA Tour titles, including the 2017 PGA, announced Monday his new relationship as an ambassador for Greyson Clothiers. Ralph Lauren ended its relationship with Thomas in January 2021.

And Thomas is engaged to longtime girlfriend, Jillian Wisniewski.

He also has a new locker in the clubhouse. Thomas joked that he now has the muscle memory to make sure he takes a left to the Champions Locker Room instead of going right to the regular locker room.

“A nice adjustment that I’ll be able to make going forward,” he said.

Thomas knows he has his hands full this week. Only four of the top-50 players in the world aren’t in the tournament. And the Players hasn’t had a back-to-back winner heading into their 40th anniversary on the Stadium Course this year.

“I’ve been playing really well. I’ve been working really hard and feel like some really good things are coming but just need to stay patient,” he said. “I just kind of haven’t gone on any of those runs the last three tournaments that I feel like I usually do in tournaments, and I think that was the difference of honestly not winning the tournaments and finishing where I did.

“Just got to keep staying patient, keep working hard and letting good things happen.”

Worked last year.

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