In a bid to get back into the winner's circle, Justin Thomas is getting a new putter into the bag for The Memorial Tournament this week - with the help of a gas station meeting with Gordon Sargent.
According to Scotty Cameron on X, Thomas has a "new Timeless TT (Tour Type) GSS Prototype, featuring a custom alignment option from a recent putter built for Gordon Sargent.
"This unique alignment includes a single dot paired with a high visibility parallel line along the topline to help square up the face."
Thomas was so taken by the custom flat stick Sargent had built, that he contacted the World No.1 amateur about using his putter and then went to meet him as they live near each other in Alabama.
They met at a gas station, where Sargent handed Thomas his putter, which he'll have as a back-up at Muirfield Village this week.
“I texted Gordon [about using the putter], and he said he wasn’t using it, so I could have it,” Thomas told GolfWRX.com. “I’ve gotten to know Gordon some, so we met up at a gas station to make the transfer.”
Things have definitely been on the rise overall for Thomas this season, though he's still been a bit hit-and-miss - mixing four top-eight finishes with three missed cuts in 11 events in 2024.
And it's clear where the problem lies for the 31-year-old, as his game has been badly let down by his performances on the greens this season.
The two-time Major champion is almost propping up the entire PGA Tour down in 159th in the Strokes Gained: Putting stats - even though he's right up in 13th overall in Strokes Gained.
.@JustinThomas34 is dialed in with his new Timeless TT (Tour Type) GSS Prototype, featuring a custom alignment option from a recent putter built for Gordon Sargent. This unique alignment includes a single dot paired with a high visibility parallel line along the topline to help… pic.twitter.com/ed2RMGm6qhJune 5, 2024
Thomas is 47th off the tee, but excels from there on in, ranking seventh in approach and 10th around the greens, but once on the dancefloor his putting just isn't up the scratch.
A chat with Scotty Cameron fitters resulted in one suggesting Thomas may benefit from a custom built putter with similar alignment marks to the one Sargent is using.
And Thomas took no chances waiting for his own, so went and actually picked up the actual model Sargent has been using so effectively in his stunning college career.
Sargent could be full-time on the PGA Tour right now after qualifying through the PGA Tour University, but he's deferred his card in order to complete his senior year at Vanderbilt.
For Thomas, a T8 at the PGA Championship last time followed on from a T5 at the RBC Heritage and T21 at the Wells Fargo, so he may not be too far away.
And with his underlying numbers in the rest of his game, if he can level things up with the putter change then he could very well be back in business.
