LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It feels like a lifetime since Justin Thomas last walked up the 18th fairway at Quail Hollow on his way to winning his first PGA Championship in 2017 and wrapping his hands around the Wanamaker Trophy.
He was a different golfer then — maybe even a different person. He's back this week, as is the PGA Championship. It marks his 10th appearance in the event he has already won twice, and he arrives with momentum.
Thomas has been in contention in three of his past four starts, including a win at the RBC Heritage three weeks ago — his first PGA Tour victory in nearly three years. After a winless 2023 and all the frustration that came with it, Thomas again looks capable of returning to the form that made him a two-time major champion before turning 30.
But this time, he's bringing candor and perspective he didn't have before.
"I was very fortunate to have success at a young age," Thomas said. "But when you're 23, 24 years old, it's just like you don't have anything else to think about or to have to worry about. You don't have any scar tissue. You don't have any experience."
Now he arrives in Charlotte with scars — and the confidence that comes from having worked through them.
"I feel great about my game," he said. "I would like to think and hope I'm a more mature person and golfer. But I don't think it's fair to play the comparison game. I firmly believe that some of my best is still ahead of me, and I know that I have that in there. I just have to kind of go find it and prove it."
Rebuilt, not just recovered
Thomas has done more than just play better. He refashioned his game. He reached out to fellow pro Xander Schauffele for an overall evaluation of his putting and came away with some new approaches. He changed putting coaches. His father, Mike, remains closely involved with his swing, but Thomas has folded coach Matt Killen for added perspective — and he's trusting his own judgment more.
Justin Thomas' putting improvement has been a major part of his 2025 resurgence.
He's tweaking less, trusting more.
Add in a new putter, and Thomas went from 174th on the tour in strokes gained putting last season to No. 20 heading into this week's play.
He came through his dry spell, and all of the questions people were beginning to have about his game. He's made some peace with that adversity and is looking to benefit from it.
"I think it's good for you in the long term," Thomas said. "It doesn't seem like it when it's happening, and I obviously would have much rather not had a poor year than have one, but I learned a lot from it. I feel like it's something that you unfortunately have to go through — maybe make some wrong decisions or chase some things that you don't need to — to figure out down the road that you don't need to do that anymore. There is something satisfying in kind of figuring it out."
A fire reignited
Thomas admitted watching others succeed — Scottie Scheffler's dominance, Rory McIlroy achievement of a career Grand Slam — stirs something in him.
"Anytime someone wins that isn't me, if it's a friend, I'm obviously happy for them," Thomas said. "But there's always going to be a part of me that's jealous and wishes it was me. I think you'd be crazy to say otherwise. ... I just remember that a lot from my first couple years on tour and Jordan having a lot of success and playing well."
He told his wife, Jill, after The Masters that watching McIlroy's drama unfold reminded him just how badly he wants it.
"It was like 'Damn. I forgot. I really do want to do that,'" he said.
It's a candid admission — not the kind Thomas would've made earlier in his career. This level of introspection comes with time and with the confidence that he's come through it. Those kinds of things come with a certain amount of life experience and confidence that you've navigated them.
Because of that, Thomas is a more accessible pro now than he was then — open to providing more insight into himself and his game, whether it's through a news conference or a Netflix documentary.
He's been around a while. I remember his first pro event. He'd qualified for a PGA Tour stop in Greensboro, North Carolina, at age 16. They offered him a courtesy car and he didn't even have his license yet. There was a rain delay, and he didn't play his best, but that was 16 years ago. The guy has been a pro — or at least a pro-in-waiting — half his life.
Coming full circle
Now back at Quail Hollow, Thomas returns to the course where he broke through in 2017 — walking up the 18th fairway with fans chanting his name. And he has the recent experience of being in contention in three of his last four starts, to add a comfort level with being in contention.
"I've hit the shots. I've made the putts. I've handled all of that mentally on this exact golf course in this exact tournament," he said. "So, I think it's something that can be helpful to fall back on if I need to."
A year ago, Thomas was the sentimental favorite when the PGA returned to Valhalla in his hometown. He tied for eighth but never fully got into the mix. Asked this week what makes a great PGA Championship venue, he couldn't help but nod toward Louisville — and you got the sense he wouldn't mind another crack at one close to home.
"People can say what they want about Valhalla — obviously, I'm biased, being from Louisville — but they've produced some pretty damn good championships, and they did the same last year," Thomas said. "It's all about getting a deserving, fitting winner. I feel like this tournament seems to do that."
And maybe, Thomas has worked himself into position to deserve it once again.
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