Justin Thomas holes crucial 18th hole birdie putt to give US Team hope after day two of Presidents Cup
Justin Thomas holed the decisive putt which turned momentum in the US’ favour after day two of the Presidents Cup. But it was captain Tiger Woods who showed the way for the visitors at Royal Melbourne who another inspired round.
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Justin Thomas screamed “I love me some me” after draining an 18th hole birdie to secure him and his playing partner Tiger Woods a crucial last-gasp day two victory.
It was a line the world number four stole from a video of former NFL star Terrell Owens, or “T.O”, a Hall of Fame wide receiver who was never shy in celebrating his own big moments, of which there were plenty.
Thomas showed all his teammates the 10-second video on the bus ride to Royal Melbourne and vowed to repeat it if he made a big putt.
It took until the last hole of their match, but there were chest-pumps and fist-bumps between the American duo who were team USA’s only undefeated pair after a putt which could “turn the tide”.
“I said, if I make a big putt today, I'm yelling it." Today that was a pretty big putt so I thought it was the appropriate time to yell it,” Thomas said.
“I've made a lot of big putts and hit a lot of big shots but to do it with my captain and an unbelievable teammate to win the match and hopefully turn the tide in The Presidents Cup, that was awesome.”
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Woods said he yelled it right back, but Thomas would have been better off shouting “I love me some Tiger” after the 15-time major champion carried his wayward partner through a round of alternate shot which reinforced just how good the captain is playing at Royal Melbourne.
After a day one display of magic, Woods was nearly faultless again on Friday with some magical iron play that left the massive galleries in awe.
His long-iron in to the par five second was the best of anyone across the opening two days. His pinpoint approaches to the fourth, fifth and sixth greens gave Thomas looks at birdies every time.
Thomas made one, but it didn’t the hole, then and a miss from three-feet on the sixth, which would have won, was almost unfair to Woods.
Even the putt Thomas made on the 18th came courtesy of a special second shot from Woods, from the right rough his partner found off the tee, a pattern which emerged early in their round, and continued to the last.
“That’s why I was upset off the tee. I obviously haven't played the hole enough, and thought I hit it right out of the universe and it was only three yards in the rough,” Thomas said.
“Once I knew it was okay, and Tiger said going up there, I've got a great angle and after that it was me sit back and watch.
“I've watched him have moments like this as a kid and I was glad he was on my team hitting it and not going against me in a stroke-play event.
“I knew he was going to give me a good look there and he did.”
Just like Woods had done all day.