“Thomas queries whether the ‘strongest field in golf’ includes all players.”
The 2021 Players Championship saw Justin Thomas emerge victorious, with a leaderboard that boasted renowned names such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith filling up the top 20 positions.
The nonappearance of the threesome at TPC Sawgrass in this year’s Players Championship, combined with numerous other present LIV Golf members who vied for that week – including Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Talor Gooch – provokes uncertainty regarding one of the primary allures of this tournament: “The most formidable group in golf.”
This week, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka are absent from the event. The three of them have a combined total of 13 Major trophies which raises doubts about whether the PGA Tour’s premiere tournament really has the strongest lineup.
Thomas, when asked about it, partially agreed and admitted that the current state of the sport is “simply reality.”
He stated, “I understand your point about World Ranking and former Tour players. However, that is the reality they have created for themselves. I won’t be discredited for winning this simply because of a weak field.”
The persistent rift between LIV and the PGA Tour has resulted in a divided scenario where some of the most prominent names in golf participate at an iconic course, while others remain at home until their next tournament held just before The Masters happens to be hosted by Trump National Doral.
According to Thomas, the PGA Championship has consistently been the best field in golf for many years. He acknowledged that other tournaments could also be considered strong contenders but emphasized that with its high number of top 100 players participating, the PGA Championship is undeniably deep and competitive.
However, when asked about the significance of winning this week, the two-time Major champion provided a heartfelt response.
My desire is simply to excel in golf and emerge victorious at tournaments, regardless of the prize money involved. The trophy on Sunday remains my ultimate goal, thus it would be wisest for me to prioritize practicing golf over any other distractions.
