Arriving at Royal Liverpool Golf Club’s first tee Friday, Justin Thomas’ thoughts had already drifted to the future. He was looking past the year’s final major to the consequential stretch of golf ahead. The claret jug was out of reach, that reality made certain by the 11-over 82 he shot in The Open’s first round, the latest outlier in a confounding stretch of golf that has befuddled the former FedExCup champ and his father, who doubles as his swing coach.
LOS ANGELES – When Rickie Fowler was looking for a player to round out his Tuesday practice round with Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, amateur Michael Brennan was happy to fill the fourth spot.