DUBLIN, Ohio – Justin Thomas isn’t afraid to speak his mind, even if sometimes it gets him into trouble.
Earlier this year at the Honda Classic, Thomas became the de facto spokesperson for crumbling relations between players and the USGA when he voiced criticism over the new rules and a lack of communication between the governing body and the top professionals. The USGA’s PR account then accused Thomas of “cancelling” meetings, a claim they later retracted, leading to a broader discussion over how best to handle communication between both sides. Tour veteran Jason Gore was hired as the USGA’s first-ever senior director of player relations the following month.
Set to return this week at the Memorial after missing six weeks with a wrist injury, Thomas lamented the fact that sometimes speaking up can bring with it a new set of issues.
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“It’s tough because I feel like you just can’t win, you know?” Thomas said. “You say what’s on your mind and you’re told you’re a spoiled brat for complaining about something. You don’t say what’s on your mind and you’re told you’re too quiet. You show your emotion and you get too mad. ‘What am I supposed to do?’ kind of thing.”
Thomas explained that he is “very cordial” with the USGA after their social media fallout, and that both parties had a productive conversation as a result. With the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach just two weeks away, he’d prefer to leave their earlier dust-up “in the past” and focus on the potential to grow the game together.
But the next time he has an opportunity to speak his mind, he’ll likely take it – even if that means facing criticism from one side or the other.
“I think there’s a very fine line on guys saying stuff, because you don’t want to be disrespectful. That’s not the point of it,” Thomas said. “But you also need to realize, there’s nothing wrong with saying what’s on your mind. But it’s hard nowadays, as you know. You just feel like you can’t win.”