Justin Thomas has given a glimpse into what it's like to partner Tiger Woods, sharing a brilliant story from the 2019 Presidents Cup on the first episode of Smylie Kaufman's new podcast.
Woods was a playing captain at the biennial match play event at Royal Melbourne and combined with Thomas to win 4&3 in the day one fourballs, before being pushed all the way by Hideki Matsuyama and Byeong-hun An in the foursomes on day two.
Thomas was on the even holes and had the honour on the 16th with the match all square and the American's trailing 6-2 overall at the time. As a fader of the ball, Thomas admitted it wasn't a shot that suited his eye so he called on his 15-time Major champion teammate for some advice.
Here's the story recalling the epic response he got...
Episode 1 is live! Too many great @JustinThomas34 stories to share all of them, but here's one about playing with @TigerWoods at the @PresidentsCup. And to hear the full JT interview, download and subscribe here: https://t.co/XP507yZtTd pic.twitter.com/P1cDZJ7ctJMay 15, 2023
"Royal Melbourne, one of the most unbelievable course ever," Thomas told Kaufman. "I absolutely loved it. So I had 16 tee shot and it’s this brutal hole. It’s this very narrow dog leg left, and it just gradually dog legs the whole way. And I like to fade the ball off the tee and there’s this damn tree that’s like right off of the tee on the left that’s just right in my window.
"It’s a big point in the match. I need to get this ball in play. I have the greatest iron player on Planet Earth on my team, but it’s such a long hole I can’t hit an iron because it’s like a driver-five iron kind of par-4. And I never really ask Tiger anything in terms of layups or whatever it is, and that’s what makes him such a great partner. He’s just like, 'Look, you go play, I’ll go play, I’ll let you know if I need anything'.
"So I’m up on the tee and I call Tiger over. He’s like, 'What?' I’m like, 'I mean, is there anything, like, this tee shot’s not very comfortable for me. Like, do you care if you’re further back or...' And he just goes, 'I don’t care what I have in, just put me in the f****** fairway'.
"And I was like, 'OK, that doesn’t make it any easier but I appreciate it, partner'."
The pair went on to half 16 and 17 before Thomas sunk a 20-footer on the last to take the spoils as the US mounted a comeback and eventually retained the Presidents Cup with a 16-14 victory.
