TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 4, 2021

Justin Thomas

East Lake Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Do you think it will take a 62 or 63 tomorrow?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I hope not. But again, I can't do anything about what they are doing, and for my sake, they have unfortunately played some really good golf and in this format, starting ahead and them playing good golf, it's tough to catch.

I gained some shots on the leaders today, and that's what's most important. I think I was four back going into Sunday at THE PLAYERS, or maybe a little bit closer, I'm not sure. But I know I've won from four behind before, so hopefully Pat will par 18 for me and not do anything crazy.

Q. How aware were you of how far they were ahead?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I was, but I wasn't worried about it. The thing that I have going for me is Jon has been playing just ridiculously good golf for a really long time, and he's shown he's going to keep playing well, and Patrick has been playing really well.

But I don't feel like those guys have had a bad round yet. They continue to play well. Obviously I can't bank on them having a bad day. I just have to keep plugging along and doing my job.

Q. Do you get a sense of where winning the FedExCup would rank amongst yourself and your fellow players and has that changed over the course of your career?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Not really. I just want to win because it would be nice to have a second win this season. I know that not very many people have won two, so it would be nice to do that as well. No, I mean, I haven't thought at all of where it would rank or change or anything like that.

Q. Is it up there with a WGC?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, I mean, to me, it's majors and then everything else is just somewhere below it, yeah.

Q. We're all fascinated by the money on this side but how does it not come into your thinking, the substantial difference between first and second place?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I don't know, I guess everybody's different. I just want to win the golf tournament. I mean, I really do. I mean, obviously the money's great and I would rather have it than not have it, but to me, to say that I won the FedExCup and won the tournament is plenty for me.

Maybe it's because I've been fortunate enough to play well and make a lot already to where I don't feel like I need to think about it. I don't know, it's just the way that I'm driven and motivated by, I guess, I don't know.

Q. Any part of you that likes being outside the last group and being in a comeback position?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Sounds like he didn't make par (crowd cheering on 18).

I would much rather be in the last group and not five back rather than where I'm at and five back.