Justin Thomas says he “sees the light at the end of the tunnel” as he tries to defend his US PGA Championship title this week at Oak Hill in New York.
The American world number 13 has only had one top five finish this year and missed the cut at the Masters in April.
However, he was 14th at Quail Hollow two weeks ago – the site of his first US PGA victory in 2017.
“The way you learn is failure and negatives and I had a great opportunity to learn a lot,” said the 30-year-old.
“There will be days when 70 may be the best I have that day, but it’s better than 71. Or 75, it may be the best I have, but it’s better than 71. is better than 76. That’s just how I was always taught.
“What I described for a few months was that I never felt so far and so close at the same time.
“It’s a hard thing to explain, and it’s also a very hard way to try to compete and win a golf tournament.”
Thomas credits his third round at Quail Hollow as proving he’s coming back to form at the right time.
“I showed a lot of really good signs in Charlotte,” he said. “Saturday was a great example. It was just a round where I didn’t really have much. I felt like I left a few shots there in terms of putts and I wasn’t all just not clean.
“I was hitting a lot of very poor wedges and irons. I birdied two of the last four holes and salvaged a round under par on a tough golf course.
“That 70 gave me the opportunity to play myself in contention with nine holes to go. I felt I had turned a bit of a corner.”
Thomas clinched last year’s title beating Will Zalatoris in a play-off after a final-round charge that saw him come back seven shots behind, but he insisted the win will be of little consequence. impact on this week.
“It was so long ago in terms of the game of golf,” said the two-time major winner.
“Feelings can be translated and memories can be translated, but a lot of things – swings, putts and chips – have happened since then. That part is hard to tell.”
Oak Hill Country Club, which has hosted three US Opens, is hosting its fourth US PGA Championship and in 1995 was the scene of only Europe’s second Ryder Cup away win.
