REPORTER’S QUESTION HAS PGA TOUR STAR JUSTIN THOMAS THINKING: “NOT FAIR TO SAY”

Two-time major champion Justin Thomas weighs in on whether the PGA Tour needs to see a dominant figure such as Tiger Woods.

What happens when golf finally doesn’t have Tiger Woods in the game or a player capable of replicating his dominance?

This is a question multiple PGA Tour winner Justin Thomas has apparently thought about a lot and his answer may surprise you.

The topic was broached ahead of the Valspar Championship where Thomas is looking to continue his decent start to the 2024 campaign.

As far as Thomas is concerned, it legitimately depends on who it is if we are to have a new Tiger. “I know that’s harsh,” he said.

Scottie Scheffler is undoubtedly the best player in the world right now, although Jon Rahm is eager to address that at next month’s Masters.

Unsurprisingly for Scheffler, the inevitable Woods comparisons came after he claimed the coveted Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Scheffler reckons it’s far too soon to start comparing him to the hall of famer. “I have got 14 more majors to catch up,” he said.

But there is no denying we haven’t seen a player look eerily similar to Woods in his pomp. Even when he’s not winning, he’s right there.

Scheffler chased down the leaders at TPC Sawgrass with a disciplined and systematic style of play.

The 27-year-old just appears to be completely and utterly relentless and is the most likely candidate to enter a spell of supremacy.

Thomas is now playing his tenth year on the PGA Tour and he has seen some players also threaten to remain at the summit of the men’s game.

Jason Day was all-conquering during his rookie year. There was also Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.

A reporter put it to Thomas: “Is golf better off with a dominant player — I was going to leave Tiger out again — but with a dominant player, or is it better with this group that’s probably grown by the year?”

Thomas paused for thought.

“It’s a really good question,” he said. “I’ve thought about it before, too.

“It’s probably not fair to say, but I think it legitimately depends who it is. I know that’s harsh.”

He continued: “But, I mean, anybody’s going to watch, again, you shouldn’t compare or use Tiger, but anybody’s going to watch Rory or someone like him or Jordan, or whatever, win by seven or eight, just because you still don’t know the fun and — Jordan might be leading by six, but he’s still going to have that hilarious conversation with [Michael] Greller in the trees on 16 of how he feels like he can slice this 3-wood onto the green, when it’s not really going to gain him anything, and maybe he pulls it off and maybe he doesn’t — or chips it — you know, there’s the excitement factor versus others.

“I think it’s better for the game — I know it’s motivating for me when it’s like this, because I feel like there’s a lot of guys that I’m, I mean, jealous of, to be honest, of how well they’re playing and all the things they do well in their game where that pushes me to kind of want to do the same.

“So I guess it just kinds of depends on who you ask.

Watch the exchange here:

What do you make of this topic? 

Does golf need to have another figure dominate?