‘We have no reason to be cocky coming into the Ryder Cup’

It’s hard to believe Justin Thomas will be a Ryder Cup rookie when the teams line up at Le Golf National later this month.

The 2017 PGA Champion has won EIGHT times since he missed out on Davis Love III’s victorious team from Hazeltine two years ago.

Many believed Thomas should have been handed a wildcard pick in 2016 but the 25-year-old admits he didn’t do enough to earn one.

Now as the No. 4 player in the world, you’d expect Thomas to be one of Jim Furyk’s go-to players as USA look to win on foreign soil for the first time since 1993.

Thomas is a confident lad but seems to be displaying a bit more caution than some of his team mates. He seems fully aware that winning the Ryder Cup away from home is a monumental task.

But who does he want to play with? Will he play with his best mate and break up the formidable Spieth/Reed partnership? And what impact will Tiger Woods have on the team?

We caught up with Thomas to find out…

Did you feel a little bit unlucky to miss out on making the Ryder Cup team in 2016?

I wouldn’t say I was unlucky. I had a great opportunity to prove myself and I didn’t play the way I know I can at the right time.

I had nobody to blame but myself and it really hurt for a while. I don’t know exactly how close I was to ultimately making that team, but I know I was just too inconsistent down the stretch.

It was a goal of mine to make that team and I fell short. I told myself that wouldn’t happen again in 2018. It wasn’t going to let it come down to a captain’s pick.

What are some of your most vivid memories from watching the Ryder Cup on TV as a kid?

I don’t think there was one or two things that ever stood out for me, other than dreaming that I want to be out there playing some day.

I actually saw three Ryder Cups in person growing up, so I’ve had a taste of seeing what it is like watching it from outside the ropes.

I want to experience what it is like inside. I’m a huge sports fan and I have gone to some great sporting events. But I have never seen anything like the pride and patriotism the spectators show on both sides during the Ryder Cup.

One of my goals this year is to be part of a winning Ryder Cup team.

The USA team must be pretty confident with their run of success in the majors. Is there a risk of being over-confident heading to Paris?

I really don’t think one has anything to do with the other and last time I looked Francesco won the Open Championship.

Also, since we are playing in France, the atmosphere is going to be a lot different for our team than it would be if we were playing in the US.

We haven’t won on European soil since 1993. That’s 25 years. So we have no reason to be cocky coming into this Ryder Cup.

I know I want to be part of, and contribute to the team that ends that streak. But just because our guys have won more majors over the last year or two has nothing to do with the confidence we bring into this.

What difference do Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson make to the team? And who does JT have his eye on as a playing partner in Paris? Interview continues on the next page…

How much of a benefit for the younger players is it to have legends like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in and around the team?

Tiger was the player most, if not all, of the guys in my age group looked up to when we started playing golf.

He was the player we tried to emulate when we were learning the game. For most of us it is why we even took up the game.

He and Phil have so much experience that it would be crazy not to watch how they handle situations and pick their brains about how and why they do the things they do.

Both of them have been so gracious with their time since I joined the PGA Tour.

To have the opportunity to interact with them in a team environment at the Presidents Cup last year was just so beneficial for me and the other younger guys in more ways than just golf.

Who do you want to play with and will it help to have a partner who plays the same golf ball?

It helps in the fact that the golf ball is the only piece of equipment you use on every shot. You build your game around the golf ball because it has to perform consistently.

I know exactly how far I hit the golf ball with every club in my bag and how it will react if I strike it the way I want.

With that being said, I was paired twice in foursomes with Rickie at the Presidents Cup and he plays a Titleist golf ball similar to mine and we had great success.

I am not too concerned if I have a partner that does not play the same brand, chances are they have played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x at some point during their careers so the transition for them should not be an issue.

What will you take from playing in the Presidents Cup and Walker Cup? How will those experiences compare?

Well, I’ll let you know how they compare after it’s over, but I can tell you that there is nothing more enjoyable than playing golf in a team environment.

I loved playing college golf at Alabama. I loved the Walker Cup. I loved the Presidents Cup.

I probably think this will be most comparable to the Presidents Cup, only we will be the visitors instead of having the majority of the fans for us like they were in New York.

I’m sure the nerves will be their to start, even going back to Junior Ryder Cup days, because anytime you represent your country it adds to whatever pressure you might be feeling.

You don’t want to let down your playing partner and teammates down. I try not to let my emotions get the best of me and just go out and play the way I know I can.

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