Justin Thomas predicts what’s going to happen to the crowds at the WM Phoenix Open as he delivers verdict on atmosphere on day one 

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Justin Thomas’ good form continued after the former world number one shot 66 on day one of the WM Phoenix Open.

One of the early starters, Thomas picked up three shots on each nine and made just one bogey on his way to an impressive five-under round.

Thomas is searching for his first win since the 2022 PGA Championship, and the early signs are positive in 2025. The Louisville-born star worked hard on his game during the off-season and added speed to his swing. With extra yardage at his disposal, Thomas placed inside the top 30 at The Sentry and second at The American Express.

Given the way Thomas’ game is trending, it’s only a matter of time before he returns to the winners’ circle.

Justin Thomas makes crowd prediction at WM Phoenix Open

Thomas would certainly be a popular victor among the boisterous Phoenix crowds this weekend. The WM Phoenix Open is known for its atmosphere, and Thomas believes the event will get more rowdy as the tournament continues.

“It’s good. 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,” Thomas said during his post-round press conference.

“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.”

At times, the patrons at TPC Scottsdale have overstepped the line of what’s acceptable. As a result, the PGA Tour has implemented a zero-tolerance policy at the 2025 event.

• READ MORE: Justin Thomas reveals how PGA Tour golfers have reacted to the letter he sent voicing his concerns last month

WM Phoenix Open: Justin Thomas’ round one stats

TPC Scottsdale did show its teeth on Thursday, with the firm and fast fairways difficult to handle. What’s more, the slippery greens made holing putts extremely challenging; unless a putt was in the centre of the hole, it was not going to find the bottom of the cup.

Thomas, who has sometimes struggled with the flat stick, was among the best in the field on Thursday. Thomas ranked 11th for strokes gained putting, and picked up over 2.5 shots on the greens. He also made 132ft worth of putts.

Another area of the American’s game which stood out was his approach play. Thomas picked up 1.7 strokes with his approaches to the greens, which made up for some wayward driving. Thomas only hit five fairways and ended the day with an accuracy rate of 35% (105th in the field).