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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Justin Thomas had his Wednesday pre-tournament news conference crashed by actor Christopher McDonald, aka Shooter McGavin. Maybe a little extra star power was the jump start he needed to his game.
Then again, Thomas is used to rubbing elbows with famous people and he’s used to contending. Three weeks ago, he finished solo second at the American Express. On Thursday, playing the back nine first, Thomas had an early bogey but then started racking up the birdies, making three on each side, including one on his final hole of the day at the 2025 WM Phoenix Open.
“I just stayed patient. I feel like staying patient is important out here because you can make a lot of birdies, but if you maybe get a little aggressive or take on some unnecessary risks you can make bogeys pretty fast,” he said after his round. “I just kind of plotted my way around and tried to get some when I could.”
He seems to know how to plot his way around the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale. Thomas has played the event 10 times with eight made cuts. He hasn’t missed the cut since 2017 and doesn’t have anything lower than a tied for 17th since. He tied for 12th last year. In 2022, he was solo fourth.
“I can’t believe this is the 11th time I’ve played in the tournament. I didn’t know that was possible,” he said Wednesday ahead of the first round. “This has always been an event since I first was fortunate enough to get an exemption here that I really enjoyed coming to and playing. I like the golf course, and obviously the atmosphere is one of a kind and one that we all know coming into it and from watching it on TV as a fan of golf as a kid.”
With a close call in La Quinta and now a 5-under 66 to start his week in Scottsdale, Thomas seems to have a liking for desert golf. A few minutes after he had that closing birdie, Christiaan Bezuidenhout bogeyed his second-to-last hole, so by the time Thomas signed his card, he was tied for the lead.
He also knows the crowd and energy will be different in Round 2. He played in the morning wave Thursday so he should be making his way to the raucous 16th hole around 4:15 p.m. or so local time Friday.
“You know what we’re going to get, and you see weather like this, you definitely know what you’re going to get. It starts slow and comes in waves and gets more and more. I’m sure tomorrow afternoon will be rowdy.”
It’s a part of the tournament that he said he enjoys.
“For sure. You embrace it. You know what you’re going to get. Just as long as no one is kind of pushing the line or keeping it respectful, obviously, but we know everyone is going to be yelling, and the goal and hope is to embrace that and give them something to cheer about type of thing.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: WM Phoenix Open 2025: Justin Thomas shoots 5-under 66 at TPC Scottsdale
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