CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Last month, Justin Thomas stood behind the 18th green at Royal Birkdale, waiting to congratulate one of his pals on another major victory.
Wearing basketball shorts and a sweatshirt, Thomas, who had missed the cut two days earlier, politely answered questions about Jordan Spieth’s wild back nine, his remarkable ability to rebound from calamity, and what type of debauchery would ensue on their plane ride home.
This spot was nothing new for Thomas, of course. Once the mainstream sports media learned that Spieth and Thomas had competed against each other since they were 14, they became a package deal.