Kevin Na, Sean O’Hair take one-shot lead at QBE Shootout

MEDINAH, Ill. – Justin Thomas was already nervous. He had probably lingered too long on his phone, reading the good-luck and you-got-this texts from well-wishers who assumed that closing out a six-shot lead on Sunday is a mere formality. JT hadn’t even arrived at the course yet for his final round at the BMW Championship. When he did, some friendly advice was waiting for him from the locker room attendants at Medinah, who evidently decided that a guy who’s won a FedExCup, a major, and multiple PGA TOUR events needed help on how to close out a tournament. OK, it has been a year since Thomas has won. People like him and want him to succeed. But still … Their advice? Talk to your caddie. A lot. Make sure you keep talking. “OK, as long as you stop talking, it’s fine with me,â€� JT thought to himself. Thomas knows all too well that large leads do not come with guarantees. Sure, six-shot leads seem safe – since 1928, just seven 54-hole leaders in PGA TOUR history have lost such a lofty lead. But Thomas remembered the 2017 Sentry Tournament of Champions, when he led by five shots after 13 holes but saw it whittled to one by Hideki Matsuyama before JT closed it out. Matsuyama was at it again on Sunday, going out in 5-under 31 en route to his second 63 of the week. Matsuyama’s first 63, on Friday, had set the course record – one that lasted for 24 hours until Thomas eclipsed it with a magnificent 61 on Saturday that set him up with the huge advantage. Matsuyama was too far away from posing any real threat, but one of Thomas’ playing partners, future Presidents Cup teammate Patrick Cantlay, was offering some high heat. When Cantlay produced his fourth consecutive birdie at the par-5 10th while Thomas bogeyed the hole after an errant second shot with a 3-wood – “Just a bad shot,â€� JT said – the lead was reduced to two shots. Related: Leaderboard | What’s in Thomas’s bag? | FedExCup standings | Meet the top 30 | How it works: TOUR Championship Cantlay had the momentum. “I knew I had to make birdies,â€� he said. But that’s when Thomas flipped the switch. The game was officially on – and that got the competitive juices flowing. In fact, his nervousness to start the day with a six-shot lead was now replaced with the bravado and fearlessness of a closer. “If I have a two-shot lead with eight holes left,â€� Thomas said, “I feel confident I can pull it off.â€� Thomas responded at the par-4 11th by hitting an approach shot from 106 yards to 2 feet. Birdie. Lead now three shots. An errant drive on the next hole posed trouble, but Thomas saved par by rolling in a 14-foot putt. Then, after Cantlay rolled in a birdie putt at the par-3 13th from 15 feet, Thomas responded with his own birdie from inside 12 feet. They matched birdies again at the par-4 15th, before Cantlay finally flinched on the next hole with a bogey. With a four-shot lead and two to play, JT was safely home. “I needed to make any of the putts on 12, 14 or 15 if I really wanted to get some momentum on my side,â€� Cantlay said. “Seemed like him saving par on 12 was big. Then obviously I tried to get one back on 13, and then he made it on top of me. “So he just played really well. It was going to be hard for me to get to 25 under anyway.â€� Indeed, that’s where Thomas ended up, just three shots off the tournament scoring record on a course that normally offers more resistance. In the end, Thomas needed the pressure of being pushed so that he could offer the proper – and winning – response. “It’s always easy when things are going well,â€� Thomas said. “When your back is up against the wall or when you get pressured or put a little heat on you, I think how you respond is sometimes a little bit better or show a little bit more.â€� OK, so talking about leads … in winning the BMW Championship, Thomas now moves to No. 1 in FedExCup points. Under the new Starting Strokes format that will be used at the TOUR Championship, Thomas will start the tournament at 10 under. He’ll lead No. 2 Patrick Cantlay by two strokes, No. 3 Brooks Koepka by three shots, and so on, with the back end of the field 10 shots behind. “I can certainly say 1000% I never slept on a Wednesday lead,â€� joked Thomas. But he knows the opportunity is immense. He’s already won one FedExCup, back in 2017 when he won five times and established himself as one of the world’s top golfers. Only Tiger Woods has won multiple FedExCups. Thomas is in the driver’s seat to join him. Just like six-shot leads on Sunday, though, there will be no guarantees at East Lake. Thomas is taking nothing for granted. Never in his golfing career, even as a junior, has he been given strokes before a tournament.  It will be a different format, but the mindset remains the same. Close it out. “There’s nobody in the history of this sport that has experienced it, so nobody knows,â€� Thomas said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be weird. It’s going to be different, I know that. “I know that I’m in a lot better position than I was at the start of the week. I just have to be grateful and thankful for that.â€� More thankful, no doubt, than any locker room advice he may receive the next few days. Don’t worry about JT – he still knows how to win.

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – From joggers and soft pastels, to the return of the ’90s, we review the hottest styles from PGA TOUR players at the PGA Championship.  The Power of Three ‘90s fashions continue to influence golf apparel in 2019. As a result, tri-color-blocked polos have been gaining in popularity. Adding one of these to your summer wardrobe will not only put you on trend for the season, but the wide, high contrast panels will make a powerful statement. To execute the look, match your shorts or pants to one of the three colors in the shirt. For an even smoother look, match them to lowest block of the shirt, as Brooks Koepka (Nike Golf) and Rickie Fowler (Puma Golf) did. King of the Jungle While the ‘90s are influencing golf apparel, sneaker culture is having a strong influence on golf footwear. Nike dropped its Safari ‘Bred’ Pack of footwear to kick off the tournament, and it was the talk of Bethpage Black. Inspired by New York’s concrete jungle, the safari print was combined with Nike’s iconic black and red colorway. While the entire pack was unique and eye-catching, Jason Day’s Air Max 1G shoe was the best of the bunch. Warning Signs Nike wasn’t the only shoe brand having fun this week. Puma and FootJoy also stepped up with special edition kicks, both playing off Bethpage Black’s infamous ‘Warning Sign’ behind the first tee. Rickie Fowler added a bit of fire to the fairways with this jet black and bright fuchsia colorway of his IGNITE PROADAPT shoe adorned with warning icons. Ian Poulter took a more understated approach with red “WARNINGâ€� text printed on his Pro/SL. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes Not often do world-class players make shoe changes prior to major championships, but Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson made significant switches at Bethpage. Rose moved to Nike’s Roshe G Tour. The cleated shoe was inspired by Nike’s popular streetwear model. DJ, who has worn various cleated models of Adidas’ Tour360 shoe in recent years, laced up a spikeless trainer-style shoe from the three-stripes brand. The adiPure SP gave Dustin a more casual look on the course. Jog On Joggers aren’t for everyone. For those that can pull them off, they do offer a fresh and modern vibe on the course. Plus, they allow the ankles to breathe in the warmer months. Kelly Kraft and Erik van Rooyen (Greyson Clothiers) both wore them to perfection. Kraft paired his joggers with a trainer-style shoe from G/FORE for an ultra-modern look. van Rooyen blended classic and contemporary styles by pairing his with old-school brogues from FootJoy. Spring Has Sprung Billy Horschel (Ralph Lauren) showed us how to dress for an extended golf weekend this spring. The spectrum of soft pastels provided crisp and refreshing looks throughout the tournament. The range of colors synced nicely with navy blue, making layering easy.

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He hasn’t won in two years. He’s tumbled down the world rankings. He isn’t qualified for next month’s Masters. What went wrong and can he find his way?

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