AKRON, Ohio — Nervous at the start, Justin Thomas was in full control at the Bridgestone Invitational to the end. He had a four-shot lead and faced a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would only determine his margin of victory.
And then he nearly lost it.
He marked his ball, turned toward the back of the green and saw his grandparents, Paul and Phyllis Thomas, who had never seen him win since his joined the PGA Tour.
Paul Thomas is a career club pro who played himself at Firestone in the 1960 PGA Championship.