Alex Noren did Justin Thomas an amazing service by bogeying the final three holes to complete in a tie for ninth. He gifted Thomas with an invitation to subsequent week’s Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.
When Noren stepped onto the sixteenth tee, a par-3, he sat in a tie for fourth and was projected to complete throughout the prime 30 of the FedEx Cup standings. Solely the highest 30 advance to East Lake, and with scoreboards in all places, Noren knew the stakes. Whoever makes it to the Tour Championship is invited to Augusta Nationwide and the U.S. Open the next yr.
However the Swede’s late-round slide dropped him to outdoors of the top-30, thus bumping Thomas up the rankings and into the Tour Championship.
“I imply, it was robust. It was difficult,” Noren admitted.
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“I didn’t hit the pictures that I wanted to. It’s difficult when it’s this agency. The greens are agency. The fairways are agency. I simply must get a bit of higher.”
Thomas, in the meantime, completed in a tie for thirty ninth. He struggled over his first three days at Fortress Pines, capturing 76-72-74 on the par-72 format. However then he carded a 4-under 68 on Sunday, and it proved adequate ultimately.
“My future might be much more within the palms of, sadly, different folks than my very own until I shot 10- or 11-under at present,” Thomas mentioned after his spherical.
“I really feel like I considerably did my half; hopefully, it pans out.”
Issues did work out for Thomas, who will return to East Lake for the primary time since 2022. He has had nice success on this Donald Ross format, though Andrew Inexperienced got here in and revitalized the whole course for this yr’s event. Nonetheless, Thomas has completed throughout the prime 10 in all seven Tour Championship appearances. He additionally has a pair of runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2020.
However below the starting-strokes format, Thomas, because the Thirtieth-ranked participant, will start the championship at even par. Scottie Scheffler, who sits atop the FedEx Cup rankings, will begin at 10-under, and Xander Schauffele, who’s second, will start at 8-under. So earlier than a ball is even within the air, Thomas will face a 10-shot deficit. However that’s higher than not making it to East Lake altogether.
“It’s a must to play nicely,” Thomas added.
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“I really feel like I’ve performed lots strong sufficient all season to be in Atlanta, however I haven’t performed nicely within the playoff occasions, and that’s when you must.”
And but, humorous sufficient, Thomas didn’t stick round Fortress Pines to catch the end. He was not careworn about whether or not or not he would make it to Atlanta, figuring out his destiny was within the palms of others.
“There’s no want for me to take a seat right here and stress this out all afternoon. It sucks, nevertheless it’s the place I put myself in,” Thomas mentioned.
“I’m glad simply going residence and getting a number of nights at residence. Hopefully, I will head to Atlanta on Tuesday.”
Certainly, because of Noren’s stumble, Thomas will head to the Peach State on early Tuesday. However now the query is, can Thomas take full benefit of the chance, overcoming longshot odds to win the FedEx Cup? In all probability not. However his odds of creating it to East Lake had been slim to start with, and if there may be something that stands true in golf, it’s that something is feasible.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
