Monday Finish: Justin Thomas finds ‘better headspace’ at THE PLAYERS Patience, equanimity rewarded as mid-round surge leads to one-stroke victory March 15, 2021
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Justin Thomas was shaken. A hot mic in Hawaii picked up Thomas using insensitive language; he was horrified and contrite and vowed to do better. His grandfather, PGA professional Paul Thomas, died at 89; he was gutted but played on. Barely two weeks later, Tiger Woods, Thomas’ friend and Presidents Cup partner, was seriously injured in a one-car accident in Los Angeles. Thomas struggled to process everything. “I did a lot of things,” he said after going 5 under from holes 9-12 on the way to a final-round 68 and a one-stroke victory over Lee Westwood (72) before an appreciative but limited crowd at THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. “I talked to people. I've reached out to people.