Thomas Sets Course Record with Stunning 62 at Players Championship

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Justin Thomas made headlines at the Players Championship on Friday by tying the tournament’s 18-hole course record with a stunning 10-under 62, achieving a remarkable turnaround after a rough start.

Starting the day at 6 over par and tied for 134th place, Thomas, the 2021 Players Champion, needed to rebound significantly to make the cut. He opened with birdies on the first two holes, then continued to dominate, recording a total of 11 birdies throughout the round.

“That was one of the best rounds I’ve played,” Thomas expressed after the round. “I felt like I did an unbelievable job of keeping my eyes forward and not looking backward. It was just: How can I put this ball in the fairway off the tee?”

Entering the 18th hole, Thomas was aiming not only to maintain his extraordinary form but also to set a new course record. However, after pushing his fairway wood into the rough, he faced a challenging approach shot that ultimately led to a bogey.

“Once I missed the fairway, birdie was kind of out of the question. I was trying to hit something short of the green,” he explained. After a penalty drop, his high pitch shot landed 22 inches from the hole, barely missing an opportunity to tie the course record.

Despite this, Thomas left the course thrilled with his performance, noting he improved by 16 strokes from his previous round. “I’m just happy to have a tee time tomorrow,” he remarked.

Thomas’ frustration from Thursday’s round came from feeling mentally unprepared. He shared that conversations with his wife, Jill, helped him reset his mindset before Friday’s play. “Jill just listened for a long time last night. She was great at keeping me positive,” he said.

The hallmark of his second round was maintaining focus and presence. Thomas noted, “I hadn’t done it that well in a really long time, so I’m probably more proud of that than I am of the score today.”

Currently tied for 29th and seven shots behind the leaders, Thomas now aims to leverage his momentum as the weekend approaches. He will face challenging windy conditions, as forecasts predict gusts of up to 30 mph.

“I love playing in those conditions. You have to be creative, and it’s just tough,” Thomas said. “Obviously, I’m thrilled to be in this position, but once I tee up tomorrow, I’ll focus on the next round.”