Justin Thomas made honest admission to new caddie before ending 18-month winless streak
Justin Thomas had to make a quick switch in caddies due to his regular bagman Matt 'Rev' Minister suffering a back injury, bringing Joe Greiner on board just before the
Masters
kicked off last weekend.
Greiner, who
parted ways with his good pal Max Homa
before the tournament following a run of poor form, found himself in
the winner's circle with Thomas at the RBC Heritage Classic
in Hilton Head, South Carolina. This victory marked Thomas's first since the 2022
PGA
Championship, and it came in only their second event together.
After nailing a crucial putt to edge out Andrew Novak in a playoff hole, Thomas didn't hesitate to praise his new caddy. "I said to Joe coming up to 18, 'I've never made a putt to win a tournament before like of this length,'" he shared.
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"Been fortunate to have a lot of tap-ins but I've never made a putt and that was pretty cool. That was as fun as I thought it would be."
Thomas's path to victory wasn't smooth sailing: he matched a course record with a 61 on Thursday, but subsequent rounds of 69 on both Friday and Saturday allowed competitors to close the gap. His situation wasn't helped when he incurred a one-stroke penalty on Saturday for moving the ball prematurely, despite consulting an official for clarification.
Maybe the secret to his Sunday success was his new caddie. Thomas didn't hold back in expressing his admiration for Greiner, telling journalists: "It's great. We've had a lot of fun. I think we -- it's hard because it's -- I always -- have always thought caddies are in a tough spot already and kind of like a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation, let alone when it's the second week he's ever caddied for me.
Greiner was previously working with Max Homa
(Image: Getty Images)
"He knows I'm playing well, and he knows that I feel the same way. So he's wanting to help but also trying to not over caddie, and it's tough. But he's doing a great job. It's more fun than anything just because he's got a great personality and sense of humor where I can make fun of him."
Homa and Greiner bagged six PGA Tour titles during their decade-long partnership, but Greiner chose to part ways with his close friend before the Masters. "Joe and I made memories for a lifetime and can't be more thankful for all the hard work. We have parted ways and it will be sad to see him go," Homa stated.
Now, Homa is on a mission to break his victory drought. The 34 year old golfer hasn't tasted victory on the PGA Tour since his win at the Farmers Insurance Open in January 2023, and he even dropped to No. 81 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) earlier this year. Currently, he sits at No. 69 in the rankings.
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NBC Sports
3 days ago
- NBC Sports
After being driven nuts and scolded in a bunker, Brooks Koepka back in major form
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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Koepka gets Oakmont scolding and leaps into US Open title hunt
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The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Thomas Frank appointed Tottenham boss on three-year deal
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