TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 29, 2024

Justin Thomas

East Lake Golf Club

Quick Quotes

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Q. I would think it was mission accomplished at least for the first day to get yourself up the board, right?

JUSTIN THOMAS: For sure. No, it's a weird spot to be in. I was joking with Scottie and I forget who we were talking with yesterday, but just being in this position I'm in, I feel like I had a decent idea what the rest of the week would hold through 12 or 13 holes. Obviously you have a lot of golf left.

If you're 1- or 2-over through 12 and starting where I am it's a bit of a buzz kill. I played really solid today and felt like I took advantage of the chances I had.

Q. You were talking yesterday about you didn't know how many birdies were out there and you made seven. Were you surprised the greens seemed a little more receptive? How did that go?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Definitely seemed more receptive than I thought they have been. Yeah, I don't know if they just put a lot of water on them or what. They definitely were holding better than I thought.

I think they did a great job with some of the pins. The par-3s, if they had the pins tucked up front they moved the tees up, I mean, No. 2, that pin would've been impossible with a 6- or 7- or even 8-iron from the back today.

Q. Hard 9-, right?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Exactly. Yeah, it is what it is. I feel like kind of I'm sure go in waves of how they set the course up. It was I thought fairly gettable up today.

Q. My point is you could attack?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah.

Q. Take us through the hours after you finished on Sunday and how you tracked it.

JUSTIN THOMAS: I mean, I wasn't going to wait all afternoon so I went home. I was like I'll just go back to Jupiter. I felt like I was -- I had to have a lot of things I would say not go my way to get in. Although for a while there or for a little bit it looked like I wasn't going to.

A lot of people needed to play well for me to not get in because of how poorly I played. We took off around 1:00, 1:30 and my parents and Rev and my trainer, Kolby, were flying home, and told my parents, because I knew they would be looking non -- stop. I was like, we're not talking about it. Don't even look at it. You can look at it, but just don't talk about it.

Rev didn't want anything to do two it. I couldn't help myself. I was looking non-stop. I know when I left for the airport or took off that it was 94% chance to be in so I felt good about that.

Then to get my mind off it just started playing cards with my dad and felt like literally ever time I opened my phone it was getting worse and worse and worse and people kept making birdies that need to not make birdies.

A couple nervous beers turned into a couple angry beers because looked like I wasn't going to get in. I was bummed. Like I said, there was just so many people that needed to finish in the Top 5 or 6 to really hurt me that -- I'm never rooting against people, but maybe not rooting for them is probably the right way to say it.

So, yeah, probably 30, 40 minutes before we landed we knew I was good.

Q. Were you on the plane when you found out?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, Smiley was calling the past couple groups, and I hope I don't get him in trouble, he was texting me live updates because wifi wasn't great. He was sending me pictures of lies, telling me what was going on. I have Smiley to thank a lot for the updates.

Q. By getting back here, in what ways do you feel like you're and things are better than last year, and where do you feel like you are?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Well, I mean, you can always improve in this game. Just being back here, I said at my presser yesterday, I really took for granted being here. I do feel like I should be here, but I just felt like it was an automatic; just not the case. It's a brutal sport. With the condensed schedule it's harder even. It's not -- you really, really have to play solid golf to get in the top 50, let alone the top 30.

Very proud to be here. Feel like although there is plenty of tournaments I would've liked to finish better or have a win or two this year, I'm still proud that I am here and have a chance.

So just keep building off that.

Q. Logistically, how does that look when you find out late Sunday you're playing this week? Is it something you always planned to be here or is your team trying to figure out where you'll stay and all the boring stuff?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I had planned to be here. I mean, like I said, it was -- the chances were good enough that it was, you know, that it looked like I was, but then with not playing well it was like, all right, you're not doing yourself any favors type thing.

I didn't have an issue coming here Monday night or Tuesday morning and I ended up having a nice day at home on Monday practicing and working out and relaxing and just coming here Tuesday morning.

Yeah, I had the hotel. Had to move it back a couple days. I was happy to as opposed to just canceling it altogether. Yeah, so glad to be here.

Q. Had things worked out differently how would this week look for you with the Presidents Cup coming up in a few weeks?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Well, I wouldn't like my chances very much, that's for sure. It's hard to say because I missed the Playoffs as a whole last year and obviously got for the Ryder Cup, but there are so many guys that are deserving. There'll be three, four guys that don't get picked that are very deserving whether they're here or not.

That's just how deep I think golf and U.S. golf is right now. A lot of young, hungry guys. Yeah, would've been -- I kind of had to eyeball it. I was probably was going to go to the Western Kentucky-Alabama game this week. Again, very happy to not do that.

Q. How much have you been in touch did Jim Furyk?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Not much. He never wants to bother us. Not only is he playing some, but this is a pretty obviously important part of our season, so I don't think he wants to feel like a burden or distracting us by any means.

I've seen him here and there. Just really had one conversation with him.

But, it's an awkward place to be because I don't really know my place or role and I never want to over step or not be involved. So that's why I'm staying out of it. Paragraph I feel like just trying to play good golf because that takes care of it more than anything.