KAPALUA, Hawaii – Justin Thomas’ passion for college football, particularly Alabama football, is well known and he’s made the most of the Crimson Tide’s success in recent years. But there is one item on his bucket list that remains.
Thomas explained on Tuesday at the Sentry Tournament of Champions that he’s been asked to be the celebrity guest picker on ESPN’s “College GameDay” twice, but he turned down both chances.
“They asked me to do the National Championship game last year and [during] the UCF and Memphis game [this season],” Thomas said. “My first time is definitely not going to be anything but an Alabama game. Me [hosting] when they claim they’ve won a national championship is a bad idea.”
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Thomas was defending his title at the Sony Open last year and was unable to attend the National Championship game or be on “GameDay” and admits his relationship via social media with UCF fans made doing so during last month’s American Athletic Conference championship game between the Knights and Tigers a nonstarter.
Still, Thomas – who played his college golf at Alabama – is holding out hope he will get his shot to be a celebrity picker on “GameDay.”
“Alabama has such a special place in my heart and I love it so much,” he said. “I grew up watching ‘GameDay’ and I’ve gotten to know a couple of those guys so well, to be up there and call ‘GameDay’ that would be pretty sweet.”