Is it possible to be the No. 2 ranked golfer in the world and still be considered underrated?
That just may be the case for Justin Thomas.
I’m not sure of the reason. Maybe it’s his name? Maybe it’s the sense of calm he exhibits on the course?
Who knows?
Whatever the case may be, it’s time to start realizing that Thomas may be the best player in the game right now.
The storylines in golf seem to center around the unbelievable power of Dustin Johnson, the resurgence of the Tiger-Phil storyline and the question of when Rickie Fowler is finally going to win a major championship.
In fact, if you asked most casual golf fans, many would probably claim Fowler as a more glorified player than Thomas.
Fowler is an advertiser’s dream: He’s good-looking, he’s rather flamboyant with his style and he’s all over social media.
Thomas, on the other hand, looks like your next-door neighbor, dresses more casually and is generally on social media only when featured in one of Fowler’s posts.
Thomas’ recent win at the Bridgestone Invitational was his third win of the season. Had it not been for the playoff that he lost to Phil Mickelson in Mexico, he would have four wins this season. Fowler has won four PGA tournaments TOTAL during his nine-year career.
His victory at the Bridgestone in Akron, Ohio was an emotional win for Thomas.
His grandparents live in Ohio, and they were in the gallery for all four rounds of his victory. It’s the first PGA Tour victory they have witnessed in person, and perhaps the last time they will have that opportunity.
The tour is moving the tournament out of Ohio beginning next year.
Known for his rather stoic demeanor on the course, Thomas broke down in tears seeing his grandparents in the gallery before holing his final putt for the victory.
Perhaps I am alone in considering Thomas underrated. After all, he has won nine PGA tournaments during his relatively short career.
Among these victories is his world golf championship at Bridgestone, and his 2017 victory at the PGA Championship. Based on these facts, Thomas has clearly earned his No. 2 ranking in the world of golf.
He is perhaps only one more victory from eclipsing Johnson as the games top player.
If that happens, I’ll be happy for the guy. After all, it’s hard not to root for a guy who shows such emotion toward his grandparents.
