What a distinction a day could make.
After a pitiful first spherical on the Gamers Championship, Justin Thomas turned in an historic efficiency for the ages on day two at Sawgrass – and it might have been even higher.
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On Thursday, he shot a dreadful 78.
On Friday, he circled and tied the course document of 62, set in 2023 by Tom Hoge, when paradoxically sufficient, Thomas performed alongside him.
Thomas now joins his fellow American within the document books and accomplished an enormous 16-shot turnaround – a brand new PGA Tour document, overtaking the 15-shot effort of Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
The 2-time main winner additionally set a course document with 11 birdies.
Thomas was nicely on his option to lacking the minimize by a large margin heading into the day, outdoors of the highest 120 after a six-over par first spherical.
He now finishes the primary two rounds inside the highest 30, seven pictures off the lead held by Min-Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia.
A rollercoaster 180 blows round TPC Sawgrass for the 31-year-old who gained his solely PLayers Championship title in 2021 with rounds of 717, 71, 64 and 68.
Pretty much as good of a day because it was for Thomas, it might have been even higher.
Thomas was 11-under after an excellent birdie on the iconic seventeenth gap and simply wanted to par the 18th to interrupt Hoge’s course document.
Sadly he missed out on it by a stroke, pulling his tee shot into the water, earlier than making an incredible up and down for bogey and a spherical of 62, somewhat than 61.
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However his thoughts wasn’t targeted on that.
After the spherical, Thomas spoke with Golf Channel’s Cara Banks and shared his ideas, even giving credit score to his spouse, Jill, for the turnaround.
“I am simply completely happy I’ve a tee time tomorrow,” a relieved Thomas mentioned.
“I used to be dropping to I believe all people that was enjoying golf yesterday at one level.
“I actually wasn’t too apprehensive or upset in regards to the golf I performed, I used to be simply extra upset about clearly the spherical and the way I used to be mentally on the market.
“I really feel like I used to be not sharp. I used to be very simply spacey and I let some issues get to me.
“I actually made a really aware effort, I had an incredible lengthy discuss with Jill final night time.
“She was an incredible venting soundboard for me and, I advised her strolling off 18, I mentioned, ‘Thanks for listening to me final night time.’
“It is at all times a group effort. Like I mentioned, I am simply very pleasantly stunned and completely happy to have a tea time tomorrow.”
Thomas will enter the weekend at four-under, seven pictures again of Bhatia and Lee, who lead the chase for the $4.5million winners test.