THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 13, 2026

Justin Thomas

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. What did you think of today?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I feel like we were out there for a long time. But no, it was solid. I definitely wasn't as sharp. But I salvaged a really good round with I feel like not my best stuff. Yeah, it's nice to birdie two of the last three and put myself in contention. It's kind of all you can do at this point. So just keep trying to do the things I'm doing well. Just keep doing those and sharpen up on a couple things here and there.

Q. It's got to feel better, miles better than a week ago, right? I know last week is sort of an aberration, but still.

JUSTIN THOMAS: For sure. Yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head. It feels miles better. It's a crazy game we play.

Q. Are you a little surprised, you're only four rounds back from --

JUSTIN THOMAS: A little. I'm four months today post-surgery. I said that to Jill this morning, my wife. It's cool. I'm trying to -- again, it's very difficult to balance all of it, just the rehab, the expectations, the week to week doing the right thing, being smart. I think I would have loved to maybe go hit a couple balls yesterday afternoon or even tonight, but just starting up, I just don't need to. It's just trying to do all the things that I need to do, while also still trying to play really well and trying to win a golf tournament while I'm at it.

Yeah, I'm proud of myself, getting myself in contention through two days. But got two days left to try to keep playing well.

Q. You said yesterday maybe trying to stay focused last week was a bit of a problem after the layoff. Was the bigger problem staying focused mental or physical?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Mental, for sure. I said that to Rev today on -- what was it, kind of 13, 14. I just was like, Man, I'm kind of starting to lose focus. I get spacey, and it's one of those you're over the ball and you're somehow thinking about nothing. I'm not thinking about the shot I'm trying to hit, not thinking about the yardage I'm trying to hit it. It's just, I get lost.

I know it's not the best thing to admit to, but it's kind of the reality. So really just tried very hard to kind of take my breaks between shots, and then when it was our turn to hit, just get really honed in, focus on what I was trying to do, and then just rinse and repeat until I was doing.

Q. What does Rev say to you to lock you back in? S there one thing?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Not necessarily. He did a great job yesterday and did a great job today, as well. Just focus on what we're doing. I'm swinging -- just kind of reiterating, I'm playing well, I'm swinging well, I'm doing all the right things. Just focus on what we're doing.

The biggest thing for me is commitment and feeling confident about the decision that I made, the club I'm hitting, whatever it is. So I think that's the biggest thing for him is just making sure that I feel that way, I guess, going into the shot.

Q. You mentioned post-round maybe not hitting balls. How is your pre-round different now post-surgery?

JUSTIN THOMAS: It really isn't very different. It's not. My time that I'm -- I'll just do a couple different things on the warmup, like in the activation or gym. But time-wise it's not any different, or I'm not hitting less -- I'm not doing a ball count or anything like that. That kind of was the point of the last month and a half or so when I was able to ramp up is to not fear any shots, to not fear any feelings of just being able to go out and play.

Knock on wood, I've been very pleased. I mean, I'd be tired before surgery, so I'm pretty tired now.

Q. We haven't seen much of this the last few years, but do you notice at all out there Scottie is struggling, especially today? He came down to the last on the cut line.

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, I've played this tournament on the cut line the last couple holes, and it's not fun. It's unlike any other place we play because it's over or not in one swing. If you're on the cut line and you're standing on 17, if you hit it in the water, you're all but done. Then the same kind of goes for 18 on the tee shot. It's every bit as hard as trying to win a golf tournament.

No, you can just tell. It's just timing and trying to match it up. He's still hitting shots that not many people on planet earth can hit in the same rounds. It's just golf. He's been hitting it pretty much where he wants within like a blanket size for what seems like two or three years. He's still had a pretty damned good year. I know I'd trade with him, but I'm probably not the person to ask.

Q. The spaciness that you have felt over the past four rounds, do you anticipate that going away this weekend? You've got an opportunity to win the golf tournament, just adrenaline kicks in?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, I'd hope so. Yeah, sometimes it can be spaciness or just trying too hard, overthinking things. It'll be tough for me this weekend, I know it will. It'll be exciting tough. I think it's the kind of exciting type nerves that you feel. It felt like a Saturday afternoon today to me out there. We did some pretty cool things and made some putts and shots to get the crowd going. But it was loud.

To be able to experience that tomorrow, I just feel like, for me, just finding a way to just keep it as simple as I can, and just -- I'm doing plenty, and all the things I feel like I need to to have a chance to win this tournament. I just need to believe that.

Q. What went into that eagle on 11 for you?

JUSTIN THOMAS: Yeah, hit a great drive, just pulled a 4-iron over there, and yeah, it was a pretty sick chip. Not one I necessarily expect to get up-and-down all the time. But I have pretty good belief in my short game, and when you're in the fairway, you have a lot more control of the ball. Just trying to visualize it and see it and hit my spot, and luckily the hole got in the way. It was nice to steal one there.

Q. Do you feel that momentum a little bit more when you've talked about focus a lot this week; does that have maybe a bigger effect for you in this tournament?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I don't know. I'll let you know.