Justin Thomas has been left surprised by something that Team Europe have done ahead of the Ryder Cup.
Thomas received a captain’s pick from Keegan Bradley, and many are expecting him to play a key role for the US Ryder Cup team, both on the course and inside the dressing room.
The 32-year-old’s form on the PGA Tour over the past few months has actually been very patchy indeed.
However, he is well known as being a really strong motivator behind the scenes, and that attribute will be vitally important for the United States this week.
Thomas has taken a leadership role within the US Ryder Cup team, due to his wealth of experience in the competition.
While Thomas has been driving the ball poorly ahead of the Ryder Cup, he will have worked incredibly hard on his game over the past month.
And make no mistake, he will be as pumped up as any other player this week.
However, will he and his teammates have enough about them to regain the Ryder Cup trophy from European hands?
Justin Thomas claims Europe have done something ‘wild’ ahead of the Ryder Cup
Thomas addressed the media at Bethpage Black on Tuesday ahead of his practice round.
As conversation switched to the United States’ opponents, one of Luke Donald‘s interesting ideas was brought up.
Team Europe have been practicing while wearing virtual reality headsets in order to simulate the kind of abuse they might get from the crowd at Bethpage.
And Thomas responded when asked what he thinks about that tactic.
He said: “Probably a little bit of everything. I hadn’t heard that. That’s kind of wild. I’d be curious to see what that looked like.
“There’s so much noise that it’s kind of hard to — you can’t hear all of it. You definitely hear some stuff. It’s tough. I go back and forth because there’s a part of me that’s like, we’re put in this arena, this is the — it’s maybe a little bit more so than it was my first couple years on Tour of being more vocal, fans being more vocal.
“But like a Ryder Cup, you kind of know what you’re going to get. But also if we want to be viewed a little bit more so as athletes and whatever it may be, then it’s a one-off type thing.
Justin Thomas gives example of when Ryder Cup banter goes too far
Thomas is someone who thrives during intense atmospheres on the golf course.
However, there are times when banter between fans and the players becomes unacceptable.
Thomas explained: “I think all the players are in the same boat, is once it ever gets to a point of being a little bit more personal of families, family members. Look, if we’re not playing well and you’re talking trash about us, we probably deserve it. But if you start getting into the loved ones, that’s I think when everybody starts really kind of getting a little bit chippy.
“I go back and forth. There’s obviously never in any sport a time to get personal or disrespectful, but at the same time it is the Ryder Cup, and it’s a home game for a reason. There’s been plenty of good, plenty of bad on both ends, and you hope to give them reason to cheer for the good.“
Colin Montgomerie is someone who received awful abuse throughout the years at the Ryder Cup and many of the chants aimed at him involved his personal appearance as well as derogatory comments about his family members.
Hopefully the New York fans at Bethpage Black do not cross the line during the Ryder Cup with their taunts aimed at the players.
The atmosphere will be red-hot and as intense as it comes in professional golf, but it will be a huge shame if the element of respect associated with our great game is lost this week.
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