Justin Thomas Struggles Continue at the Open Championship

Justin Thomas’ 2023 struggles continued Thursday at the first round of the Open Championship, shooting an 11-over-par 82. Here’s what you need to know:

Round One Recap

• Thomas posted five bogeys, two double-bogeys and finished the round with a quadruple-bogey on No. 18 to end the day tied for second-to-last place.
• He has now recorded consecutive major rounds in the 80s, shooting 81 in the second round of the 2023 U.S. Open last month before missing the cut.
• The two-time major winner also failed to make the cut at the Masters earlier this year and finished T65 at the 2023 PGA Championship.
• South African amateur Christo Lamprecht, Tommy Fleetwood and Emiliano Grillo share the lead at 5-under after round one.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Who is Taichi Kho?

He’s the one player in the field who Thomas beat on Thursday.

It’s one thing for an elite player in the world to struggle and play poorly on a major stage. It happens. It’s another thing to shoot an 82 with no injury to cite or issue to explain it. But this is where Thomas resides nowadays.

He shot a 39 on the front. Then a 43 on the back. He was 3-over on the par 3s, 6-over on the par 4s, and 2-over on the par 5s. He was bad off the tee, worse approaching the green, and worse yet on the green.

You want to say it’s surprising, but it’s not.

This is all part of an alarming trend for a player whose 2022 PGA Championship win was seen as a potential positive turning point in his career.

The 2023 season has been a borderline disaster. Thomas’ best finish this year is a fourth-place finish in Phoenix back in February. He has two top-10 finishes since — a T10 at Valspar and a T9 at Travelers — to go with four missed cuts and a disastrous showing in the majors. Thomas missed the cut in Augusta, finished T65 at the PGA, and was 14-over through two rounds at the U.S. Open before heading home.

Thursday feels like the bottom. But there’s no such thing in this game. Thomas has to return to the course Friday and who knows what’ll happen.

Thomas is down to 43rd in Datagolf’s rankings. He’ll soon fall lower.

This isn’t only an issue for Thomas’ standing in conversation among the world’s best players. That’s currently irrelevant. As of now, the question is whether he can even make the 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup team. It’s all a stunning turn for a player who starred for the American team at Whistling Straits and won a major in the time since. There’s little-to-no case to be made, though, that he’s among the 12 best U.S. players at the moment.

We thought there might be a turnaround coming after Thomas finished T9 at Travelers in late June, but he’s still skidding. His short game is in total shambles. His putting is in shambles. Everything else? It’s not much better.

There’s still time for Thomas to turn the year around, and he’s accustomed to success in the FedEx playoffs, but something dramatic needs to happen.

Friday would be a good time to start. — Quinn

Required Reading

(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

Justin Thomas’ struggles continue as he shoots an 11-over-par 82 in the first round of the Open Championship. This disappointing performance follows his recent poor showings in major tournaments, raising concerns about his current form and future prospects.

Thomas’ round was marred by five bogeys, two double-bogeys, and a quadruple-bogey on the final hole. He finished tied for second-to-last place, highlighting his struggles on the course. These struggles have become a trend for Thomas, as he also shot an 81 in the second round of the 2023 U.S. Open before missing the cut.

The 2023 season has been a challenging one for Thomas, with his best finish being a fourth-place finish in Phoenix back in February. Since then, he has only managed two top-10 finishes and has missed the cut in four tournaments. His performance in the majors has been particularly disappointing, as he failed to make the cut at the Masters and finished T65 at the PGA Championship.

Thomas’ decline in form has led to a drop in the rankings, currently sitting at 43rd according to Datagolf. This raises doubts about his chances of making the 2023 U.S. Ryder Cup team, a significant blow for a player who played a crucial role in the American team’s victory at Whistling Straits and has previously won a major.

One of the main areas of concern for Thomas is his short game and putting. Both aspects of his game have been inconsistent and have contributed to his poor performances. While there is still time for Thomas to turn his year around, he will need to make significant improvements to regain his form and competitiveness.

Friday’s round presents an opportunity for Thomas to start his comeback. However, given his recent struggles, it remains uncertain whether he can overcome his current challenges.

Overall, Thomas’ struggles at the Open Championship highlight the difficulties he has faced throughout the 2023 season. His decline in form raises questions about his future prospects and whether he can regain his position among the world’s best players. Only time will tell if Thomas can turn his year around and rediscover his winning form.