Watch Justin Thomas’ pre-tournament press conference ahead of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.
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Contested each May, the PGA Championship is the second major championship in golf’s annual rotation and perennially features the strongest field in the men’s game based on the Official World Golf Rankings. Known for dramatic finishes and notable champions, the Wanamaker Trophy—which has been awarded to the winner since 1916—is inscribed with names such as Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player.
The 2025 PGA Championship is set to take place between 15-18 May at Quail Hollow Club. The reigning champion is Xander Schauffele.
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Perfect. Two-time PGA champion Justin Thomas joins us now at the 107th PGA Championship. Justin, welcome to your 10th PGA Championship. This week marks the first PGA here since 2017 when you won your first WMaker Trophy. What do you remember about that week? Um, I mean, obviously a lot of great memories. Um, I mean it’s I’d say is a little different than than other majors considering it’s a it’s a venue and a course that we play uh yearly um you know for the the Wells Fargo now the Turus. So, it’s it’s a tournament or it’s a course that have had a lot of uh like a lot of us had a lot of rounds on, but it’s there’s definitely different different parts of that week and and especially Sunday that that I’ll always remember and um and yeah, I mean it’s it’s always very very special to a first of anything, you know, first win and and obviously a first major. So, it was uh it was a very very special week. That’s great. Thank you. We’ll open up for questions starting with Dan and then Luke. You’ve had a chance to win three of your last four starts. I know that it didn’t go how you wanted toward the back end of Sunday, but is it starting to feel more I know you’ve won so many times, but recently is it starting to feel more comfortable being in that position? Uh, definitely. I I feel um especially Hilton Head. I mean, I I and Tampa too, it’s I’m just more patient, I’d say. I don’t feel like I’m forcing the issue as much. Um just just trying to trust, you know, my game and myself um quite a bit more. I feel like it, you know, some of the events maybe earlier this year or last year where I had a chance to win, I just felt like I maybe pressed a little too much. But, um, you know, it’s, um, we all want to win and I and I’m no different. I just think sometimes you’re you’re in a a better headsp space than others to, um, to to try and capitalize or or to give yourself a chance. And I feel like that’s kind of how it’s been the, you know, last couple events. And then is there something to not winning the Sunday before and having all those requirements that come after? It’s like you were in contention. Your game was there, but you got to come here on your own schedule. I’d say so, but I’d sure as hell take the alternative. Uh I would have much rather won and and had to deal with um being tired, if you will. Um, I I will always take that. But, uh, yeah, I do think there’s you could argue that for sure, but like I said, I I would have much rather been in Se’s shoes and, uh, and had a forced day off with that rain yesterday. Justin, looking back to 2017, that was a special uh, event for you with your dad out there. And um what do you remember from that uh just coming down the stretch on 18 and then does that carry over to this year having won the last time it was here? Um I mean I hope so. I I don’t I mean it was eight years ago. It was a completely different golf course. It was Bermuda in in August versus you know overseed in in May. And um as as as much as I’d like to say yes, I I think that’s uh a bit of a stretch. But I mean, the fact I know the the golf course and and have had, you know, I feel like some success on it is definitely helpful. But, um, in terms of 2017 and remembering Sunday, it was yeah, a lot of great a lot of great memories. I mean, I’ll never forget walking up 18. Um, you know, after I’d hit my second shot in the right rough, and I think kids had just bogeied 17 maybe to to have a three-shot lead. And, um, I felt pretty comfortable I could get it in the house at that point. and uh and yeah, just walking up that that 18th to, you know, people chanting my name and and looking at the leaderboard and and and kind of realizing that, you know, I I was about to win this. It was uh it was a really really cool feeling. Luke on six. Uh JT, you’ve been so good with your like scoring wedges for so long. I’m just wondering what your process is for dialing in like a 50 yard shot versus a 60 yard shot. Like how are you doing it? Uh I do it all feel. I’m not a a clock system guy. I’ve never never necessarily been that. Um it’s just it’s really just a lot of practice and muscle memory is I’d say the I mean obviously been doing it my whole life but let alone the last call it five 10 years and and a lot of work with Trackman and and just um I mean my my thought and feel has always been to just feel like I’m almost taking it back as short as I can to hit it that distance. Uh, so I feel like I have the same type of acceleration through all of my shots and and that really that just comes with a lot of time and practice and and repetition um to just kind of trust that I know if I’m hitting at 80 yards like I couldn’t tell you where it is, but I just I just try and do it and feel that. Um, that’s really it. And how much time are you like devoting to practicing that specific area like this week for instance? Uh, quite a bit I’d say. I mean, this week’s a little different, I would say, than like last week. I mean, the the majority of my warm-up most most weeks is wedges. Uh when I’m home, definitely more more wedges if I’m not working on technical stuff. But, uh, you know, this week’s going to be a lot more mid irons on the on the course and long iron. So, I’m I won’t necessarily, you know, grind a lot on on wedges in my warm-up and trying to hit numbers like last week where, you know, on a day like Thursday, we’re hitting a wedge into arguably every hole. So, um, but it is it’s it’s just something that’s important because the stress it takes off your game if it’s in a good place. You know, if I don’t hit a good drive or, um, you know, if I need to lay up on a par five, something where I don’t feel like I need to force the issue on my second shot because I know if I get it to a, you know, a decent number, I can get it up and down and and move on. Go next up to Jay, followed by Mike’s three and then seven. JT, the easy wisdom is that if you’ve wanted a place before, then automatically you’re going to be more comfortable at it. whether it’s it’s you here or Rory here. For you specifically though, do you feel more comfortable at a at a location where you’ve had victory before? What does that do for your mental state coming in? Definitely. Uh I mean, I’ve I’ve been fortunate enough to to have success at at uh at courses multiple times in my career. Um you know, won a couple times at Capalua, CIMB, CJ Cup. Uh just at places that I feel like there’s something about it. I think that when if you’re able to get yourself in contention again, um obviously it’s going to differ of who is there, but I will always be able to say is if I’m coming down the stretch and trying to win the tournament is I can tell myself I’ve I’ve literally done this before here. And um I know it’s something that’s it’s kind of bizarre to to that just something saying like that or or or something like that in your mind can be very helpful, but it is. um because, you know, I’ve hit the shots, I’ve made the putts, I’ve I’ve I’ve handled all of that mentally on this exact golf course in this exact tournament. So, I think it’s something that that can be helpful and and um able to fall back on if if I need type thing. Mark. Hey, Justin. Um just curious for the success you had as as successful as you were and to go through that stretch those couple years where you just you you’re searching and whatnot and then you’re not getting the results out of it. How difficult was that run for you and and how gratifying is it that you’re you have these feels back again where you’re in contention. You feel like you can do it? It obviously was frustrating. I I I mean I wouldn’t say it was it probably wasn’t quite as long as as maybe um it appeared. I mean, I felt like there at the end of uh was it 20 23, you know, when my year I didn’t play very well. I felt like at the end of that year I I started to play some some decent golf and was, you know, working on the right track. So, um, you know, it wasn’t like it was something that was a couple year process. I I I think it’s it’s it’s good for you in the long term. doesn’t seem like it when it’s happening and and I obviously would have much rather not had a a poor year than than have one. But um I learned a lot from it. I mean I feel like it’s something that you unfortunately have to go through some stuff like that and and and maybe make some wrong decisions or or chase some things that you don’t need to to to figure out down the road that you don’t need to do that um anymore or again. So, it’s uh yeah, there is something satisfying of of yeah, kind of I guess figuring it out, if you will, but um just a part of this game. And just as a quick follow, do you feel better now than you were with your game and everything around you than you did even when you were winning earlier? Uh it’s it’s tough to say. I mean it’s um I think that the thing you have when you’re young is not that I don’t have any fear now but you just I mean I was very fortunate to have success at a young age but when you’re 23 24 years old I mean it’s just like you know what you you don’t have anything else to think about or to to have to worry about. You don’t have any scar tissue. You don’t have any you know experience. It’s just like hey you know the PGA that I played here in 17 like it was just my like third PGA I’ve ever played in. So it’s um you know I I the only really time I had a chance to win I was in the final group at Aaron Hills earlier that year. So it’s like it’s just earlier in your career you you it’s it’s a different it’s similar mindset of obviously we want to win. We have a lot of fire and and and we work hard but it’s just it’s a different kind of thing. But um I mean I I feel yeah I feel great about my game. I would like to think and hope I’m a more mature person and golfer. Um, but you know that I don’t think it’s fair to play the comparison game and and I just you know I I believe and and I hope but firmly believe that you know some of my best is still ahead of me and I know that I have that in there. I just have to kind of you know go find it and prove it. JT, I know you’re a big iPhone notes app guy regarding your annual goals specifically. I’m curious with a course that you’ve been to several times and had a lot of history at and success. Do you actually have a physical note in your phone for Quail Hall or you just going straight off? great memories here for this event. No, I I I don’t do anything for specific events. Uh just, you know, kind of a a year as a whole type thing. And what’s your early impressions of what you’ve seen of the course and how it’s changed over the year so far? Uh I haven’t been out yet, so um I’m not sure, but I mean knowing this place, I mean that, you know, the the Walls Fargo and past has always been, you know, the week prior to this, so it’s it’ll be very very similar. Um, I’m sure the rough will just be longer and it’ll be um the greens will be a little firmer and faster, but um that’s the one thing about this place. I feel like you kind of always know relatively what you’re going to get and it’s just figuring out how the golf course is playing and then uh going from there type thing. But by the looks of it, you know, it’s pristine as always and uh will be a great test. Justin, um Rory has played extremely well here over the years. him. I’m not sure how many times you’ve had a chance to play with him here, but why why does he you feel like he plays here? What is it about this course, the setup that he plays well here? I mean, first and foremost, he’s really really good at golf, so that definitely helps. Um, I would I would argue he’s the best driver of the ball I’ve ever seen. Um, and that is extremely important here. But I think his shot shape I I I think this golf course fits a high draw really really well. Um there’s a lot of T- shots, you know, whether it’s holding fairways or or fitting dog legs. Um you know, taking bunkers out of play, whatever it is. And then I mean, he just has when he’s on, he has such control at that driver. It seems like he can hit it, you know, in a window and an area that you’re, you know, some guys are trying to hit short irons. And um I mean that’s a tremendous advantage or threat at any golf course, but I feel like a place like this where it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of thought or or strategy off the tea. It’s generally, you know, pulling out driver and I’m just I need to hit this as far and straight as possible. Um and he’s really really good at that. So I think it you know that’s that’s something like I said is an advantage of any golf course. But I think just the shot shape and and that is a good combination. We’ll take a few more. Let’s go to 917 and then 19, please. On Sunday night, we get your very very immediate thoughts on how the the tournament finished, but is there any element the last two days of going back and watching like the game tape to have some different takeaway arise from kind of how it went down of this past week? Yeah. Um, I’d say so. I I mean I like to I I I I watch I mean highlights of of myself of that round basically after every single day. I mean, I want to if I can just pick up on one little thing and learn, you know, one little thing and or maybe there’s, you know, man, I really hit this drive well on on number seven. Like, I’d love to go back and see if I can pick up anything on that or or maybe I hit this shot bad on this one and you’re not always going to see the camera angles you want or it’s not going to maybe get everything that you want. But it’s um it is helpful for me. I mean, it’s more of like my I I feel like I can kind of if I see if I’m watching golf that a replay that I’m in, I I can kind of see my body language and kind of see how I look and that’s generally a pretty telltale sign for me. So, that’s something that um yeah, I I’ll watch sometimes. I’m not necessarily going to fret over it or or or try to dive into it as much as humanly possible, but it is something that if I could choose, I would like to see. Yeah. Did you learn anything from Sunday from what you lost? Um, I I didn’t necessarily need to to see anything. I mean, I I I was very very comfortable and felt like I did a great job all day. I’m just 16 was the only thing. I was a little upset with myself. I felt like I after not birdie 15 and I felt like they were both going to birdie 15, I just felt like I pushed that a little. I I mentally was like, I need to make birdie here on 16. And that I mean unfortunately those last three holes were all very difficult but I I couldn’t make four. That was the thing is I I yeah a birdie would have been helpful but I absolutely could not make four. And and I don’t know if you could have walked up there and put it really in a worse place than I hit it. So um that was just that was the only thing I was upset with myself is that I I was so patient and kind of stuck to my game plan and and picked my spots all day. And then um you know I made just a little bit of an emotional decision of trying to take on you know a tough pin from 220 yards uh cuz I felt like I needed to as opposed to just kind of letting it play out type thing. Up top to Shane. Uh Justin looking at the major parts of the game driving approach putting around the green. If you were forced to trade one of those parts of the game in with anyone who’s currently playing what part of the game would it be and who would you trade it with? [Music] Um, I mean, I’d probably I’d go with either Rory or Scotty in their driver. Yeah. Driving. Yeah. Gotcha. Thanks. Wrap it up on 19 with Ryan and then Doug on 20, please. I’m just curious, how much are you fueled by competitive jealousy? whether it’s, you know, Scotty last year or Rory ticking off the slam, like a desire to want to remind folks that you’re one of the best of your generation, too. Uh, a lot. It’s um, you know, it I just I remember that a lot from, you know, my first couple years on tour and Jordan having a lot of success and playing well. And um it is I mean over your course of your career you’re obviously it it’s not like the you know when you’re in college and you have someone that turn turns pro early and they’re winning tour events and you’re like you know I’ve beaten him before or kind of thing. It’s like I we obviously all beat each other quite often but it’s um you know I I have a lot of faith and a lot of ability and and or trust in my ability and and feel like I can I have confidence and I feel like what I can do. So, it’s I I told Jill uh after watching the Masters, it was like, of course, and and obviously I knew I’ve always wanted to win the Grand Slam, want to win all the majors. Um but for some reason, like watching somebody do it firsthand, it reminded me almost of like, damn, yeah, I forgot I, you know, I really do want to do that kind of it’s just it’s weird. It’s it’s something I think all of us it I’m sure certain people maybe hit us a little different ways in terms of jealousy or drive or whatever you want to call it. But um yeah, anytime someone wins that isn’t me that, you know, if it’s a friend, I’m obviously happy for him, but there’s always going to be a part of me that’s jealous and wishes it was me. I think you’d be kind of crazy to say otherwise. Justin, you think of places like Oakmont next month or Wingfoot, kind of those classic US Open courses. What do you think of uh for the PJ Championship? Is there a a typical Is there one course that would be described as a typical PJ Championship course, quintessential one, or is there not? It’s it’s a good question, but I I don’t think that there is. And I think that’s what’s kind of cool and unique about this event. I think that all the tournaments have an identity and and you know I think for at least the US Open has seemed to I shouldn’t say that before Oakmont has seemed to change a little bit of like you know doesn’t want don’t want anybody under par type thing but I think Oakman will take care of that on itself but um I just I I I think Carrie Heg does an unbelievable job of setting up golf courses in the sense of he doesn’t try to do anything more than what he has. He’s going to obviously give us a good test. He’s going to understand that we’re going to have, you know, years like Bel Reeve that are very soft and, you know, it’s going to be a birdie fest and then we’re going to go to places like Beth Paige that are difficult or we’re going to go to places like, you know, Oak Hill or or here. Like, it’s just he’s treating each of them individually. And and the goal isn’t to try to set up a golf course to produce something in particular. I just think it’s Look, I I want to set up a fair golf course and test to show who the best golfer is this week. And I think that’s it’s something that’s very underrated, but I I I really do think he does an unbelievable job and and it it is kind of unique and cool that the PGA seems to do that. You know, it’s um people can say what they want about Balhalla. I mean, obviously I’m biased being from Louisville, but they’ve produced some pretty damn good championships over the years and and they did the same last year. And it’s just all about getting getting the deserving fitting winner. And I feel like, you know, this tournament seems to do that for the most part. That’s Louisville. Thanks for your time, Justin. We appreciate it.
