Justin Thomas Played With Heavy Heart After Loss Of Grandfather

Justin Thomas is very close with his family, including his grandfather, Paul Thomas.

On Saturday night, Justin got the sad news that Paul, age 89, had passed away.  Justin chose to play the final round of the Phoenix Open but his usual determination and desire may have been reserved.

No doubt J.T.’s mind was elsewhere as he couldn’t muster much birdie power over the final round.  He made a double-bogey at the sixth hole and turned in one-over par.  He suffered bogeys at 10 and 11 but finally had a highlight for the day when he holed a 49-foot putt for eagle at the short par four 17th.  Thomas finished with a round of 72, one-over and his 13-under total tied him for 13th.

Thomas father and mother attend most of his tournaments and his grandfather was there when J.T. won the PGA Championship.

Mike Thomas took after his father, becoming a Class A professional with the PGA Of America.  Paul Thomas was born in Ashland, Kentucky, but moved to Cincinnati as a child, and spent a long chunk of his career as the head professional at Zanesville Country Club in Ohio.

Like his grandson, Paul entered the golf world early. He left school and declared himself a golf professional at the age of 17 and bounced around several clubs. He competed in the 1960 and ‘61 PGA Championships but did not have luck playing on the PGA Tour. Later in his life, he made the cut in three U.S. Senior Opens.

Jordan Spieth Showed Nerves But Remains Encouraged:

Jordan Spieth looked incredible when he shot a 10-under par 61 on Saturday that featured a career-high 10 birdies.

Sunday was a different story at TPC Scottsdale for Jordy.  Still, he found himself encouraged with his week’s work, and disappointed with his Sunday disappointments.

“I believe in what I’m doing,” Spieth said after shooting a one-over par 72 that tied him for fourth.  “A result like this just helps confirm what I was already feeling, and that just moves the needle the right direction.”

Spieth struggled with his accuracy off the tee and his putting.  Still, with four holes to play, he was just a shot off the lead but hit big hooks off the tee at the par five 15th and reachable par four 17th that ended his hopes.  He still managed to save pars on both holes.  He finished with a birdie at the 18th that kept him in the top five.

“Felt like I hit good putts,” said Spieth, who hit just five fairways all day.  “And as much as the lid was open other days, it was closed today.”

Spieth will play in this week’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am and was overall, optimistic.

“I was comfortable in the position I was in, and that’s a very new position for me, because it’s been a little while,” Spieth said. “So, I like to compare it to how I was in 2014 a number of times in the final group and just kind of the putts didn’t go in on Sunday, and you got to relearn what tendencies you have and then just keep on getting there, keep on getting in position. Then they go your way sometimes.”

Steve Stricker Shows He Still Has Game:

Steve Stricker, who will soon turned 54, was trying to become the oldest player ever to win a PGA Tour event.  He didn’t win but Stricks shot 17-under and tied for fourth with rounds of 65-66-69-67.

The Ryder Cup captain was still in the mix down the stretch at TPC Scottsdale.  He birdied four of the final six holes, including three straight at 15, 16 and 17.

Tiger Woods Seen At Super Bowl In Tampa:

Tiger Woods is recovering from another back surgery but he’s out and about.

Tiger was spotted on Sunday in Tampa at Super Bowl LV to watch the Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs.