Pep talk from caddy helped secure PGA Championship crown, says Thomas
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 [May 23, 2022] TULSA,
Oklahoma (Reuters) - A pep talk from his caddy made all the
difference for Justin Thomas as he collected his second major title
after staging an incredible comeback to win the PGA Championship on
Sunday.
The American was seven shots back at the start of the final round in
Tulsa but clawed his way up the leaderboard before besting
compatriot Will Zalatoris in a three-hole playoff.
Thomas, who also won the tournament in 2017, said his caddy Jim
"Bones" Mackay had put him back on track after carding a frustrating
four-over 74 in the Saturday's third round.
"I'm fully confident in saying that I wouldn't be standing here if
he didn't give me that -- wasn't necessarily a speech, but a talk,
if you will," said Thomas.
"I felt like I'd played terrible. And he was just like, 'Dude,
you've got to be stop being so hard on yourself. You're in
contention every single week we're playing.'"
The 15-time PGA Tour winner has had Mackay, who caddied for 2021
winner Phil Mickelson for 25 years, on the bag since September and
had six top-10 finishes in 2022 heading to Southern Hills Country
Club.
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Justin Thomas holds the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA
Championship golf tournament in a three hole playoff. Mandatory
Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
Thomas told reporters he was able to tune out the raucous crowds and
avoid looking at the leaderboard on Sunday.
"You don't have to be perfect. Just don't be hard on yourself. Just
kind of let stuff happen, and everything is trending in the right
direction. So just keep staying positive so that good stuff can
happen," he said.
"There's not very many times after shooting 4-over on Saturday of a
major I left in as good a frame of mind as I have."
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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