Justin Thomas has been one of the prime voices in support of the established tours in golf’s civil war – but he now wants the golf to do all the talking.
The PGA champion is one of the four major champions all playing at the Genesis Scottish Open. He admits he’s let his emotions get the better of him speaking publicly about the PGA Tour’s threat from the breakaway, Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
But he thinks fields like that at The Renaissance are adding to the history and legacy that makes the established game a better ‘product’ than the new rivals.
“I’ll be the first to say, I’ve gotten wrapped up emotionally from time to time,” he said. “I’m passionate about it and I feel a certain way.
“I feel like the more I read or the more I listen to what else is going on, potentially the more frustrated or upset I’ll get.”
‘The best place to play, bar none’
🗣️ "At the end of the day I'm just trying to go win a golf tournament and the fact that they're playing so be it"
Justin Thomas discusses how he feels about the LIV Tour and if he would say anything to the players who have joined ⬇ pic.twitter.com/Dn9oPDXveE
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 6, 2022
Thomas feels the same, but he doesn’t want to get too wrapped up in talking about LIV anymore.
“I made that mistake early on, and it’s a distraction,” he said. “I’m focused on what I’m trying to do and really trying to do that.
“Myself and others, first and foremost, now need to focus on playing good golf because that’s the No. 1 priority.
“Because if we can continue to improve our product, getting it as good as possible, we can continue to make this (tour) the best place to play, bar none.
“Just as it is right now. If we do that, then at the end of the day we have nothing to worry about.”
The Scottish has 14 of the top 15 players in the world competing. Rory McIlroy, another vocal supporter of the PGA Tour, the only one missing. That’s the kind of product the tours have, says Thomas.
“It’s definitely getting up there with the top events,” he said. “I think the (tours) partnership and now having so many PGA Tour guys here is cool. It’s only adding to the strength of field.
“Take out the majors, this is going to be one of the two or three best fields that we play all year.
“For The Scottish Open, for Scotland, for the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, that’s a huge deal. And it should be.
“Everybody involved should be very proud of that. I know I’m happy and proud to be here.”
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