From dejection to da man, quite a turnaround for Rory McIlroy

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Justin Thomas’ hunger is returning, at least in a metaphorical sense. Some of the 20 pounds that Thomas, who’s notoriously lithe for a player who ranks among the game’s longest hitters, has gained this year can be attributed to the festive fare that one is confronted with this time of year. “Coming off of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’ll be excited to start eating a little better again,â€� said Thomas, who now weighs a hefty 165 pounds. “I’ve been trying to eat as well as I can these last couple weeks, but there’s only so well you can do.â€� Thomas took part in a teleconference Monday to promote his title defense at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which begins Jan. 4 on Kapalua’s Plantation Course. The winners-only event on Maui will be the first of back-to-back title defenses he’ll face next month in Hawaii. The Sentry will be his first official PGA TOUR event since winning THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES on Oct. 22, as well. The time off was well deserved after a frantic finish to the season that saw him win his first major championship and the FedExCup. Starting with the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, Thomas has won three of seven PGA TOUR starts and clinched the FedExCup with a runner-up at the TOUR Championship. He is No. 7 in this season’s standings as he tries to become the first player to win consecutive FedExCups. “It’s been a nice offseason, but over the last week or so I’ve been starting to get a little hungry and ready to get back out there,â€� said Thomas, who admit that he was underprepared for his appearance earlier this month at the Hero World Challenge. He finished 11th in the 18-man field, one shot behind Tiger Woods and 11 shots behind winner Rickie Fowler. Thomas also completed another tropical trip with Jordan Spieth and Smylie Kaufman before beginning his preparations for Hawaii. I think the hardest part is going to be staying in the moment and recognizing that it’s a new year. It’s a new opportunity for great things. Thomas knows many are curious to see how he copes with all the success he had in 2017. He saw Jordan Spieth face constant comparisons in 2016 to his historic 2015 season. Spieth won twice in the season following his FedExCup-winning campaign, but it was not enough to meet the inflated standards of media, fans and himself. Thomas has sought advice from Spieth and others about how to handle the pressure that can follow a career-changing year. “I know I’m constantly going to get reminded of what I did last year versus this year and whether it’s better or whether it’s worse,â€� Thomas said. “I think the hardest part is going to be staying in the moment and recognizing that it’s a new year. It’s a new opportunity for great things.â€� He’ll immediately be reminded of two impressive performances when the season resumes in January. He was 49 under par in the TOUR’s two Hawaii events last year, winning by a combined 10 shots. He won the Sony Open in Hawaii by seven shots, breaking the PGA TOUR’s 72-hole scoring record with a 27-under 253. His dominant showing, which started with a first-round 59, came one week after a dramatic victory at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Thomas birdied the Plantation Course’s final two holes for a three-shot victory over Hideki Matsuyama. The clutch finish allowed him to avoid losing a large lead that was in danger after his double-bogey at the par-5 15th hole. He called his 8-iron approach into the second-to-last hole one of the most important shots of his career. “If I lose that tournament, who knows what happens last year,â€� Thomas said. “It’s easy to say, ‘What if’, but I think I had a five-shot lead with five to play and if I lose that, it’s going to hurt a little bit.â€� He doesn’t have to worry about that. Instead, he’s trying to continue the momentum he built from a memorable year.

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ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The World Golf Hall of Fame will enshrine former PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem as part of its Class of 2021, joining Tiger Woods and Marion Hollins. He received news of his Induction through the Contributor category from Commissioner Jay Monahan. “It is the greatest honor to be elected to join golf’s most legendary players and contributors in the World Golf Hall of Fame,� said Finchem. “This is a truly humbling moment, for which I am most grateful, and I look forward to celebrating with my family and friends throughout the game of golf and the many people who made this possible for me. I am especially proud to stand alongside one of the world’s all-time greats, Tiger Woods, in the Class of 2021 and look forward to what will be an exciting year ahead.� Under Finchem’s 22-year tenure as the PGA TOUR Commissioner from 1994 through 2016, prize money skyrocketed, moving from under $100 million on three tours in 1994 to more than $400 million on six tours when he retired in 2017. He created signature events in today’s game, including the FedExCup and the FedExCup Playoffs, the Presidents Cup and the World Golf Championships. Finchem’s impact expanded far beyond the PGA TOUR as he left his mark on the global game. He spearheaded efforts to coordinate the bid for golf’s return to the Olympics, which became a reality in the 2016 Games after a 112-year absence. Finchem worked to ensure giving back was part of the fabric of the PGA TOUR’s business model and was instrumental in founding the First Tee in 1997. Since inception, Finchem has helped First Tee grow and develop into the positive youth development organization it is today, having reached more than 15 million young people on golf courses, in schools and after-school locations. During his tenure as Commissioner, the PGA TOUR and its tournaments raised more than $2 billion in charitable contributions. “Tim Finchem’s vision and leadership have made an indelible impact on the game of golf over the past 25 years,� said Jay Monahan, PGA TOUR Commissioner and World Golf Foundation Board Chairman. “His enshrinement into the World Golf Hall of Fame will forever stand as a testament to his tireless dedication and contributions, but more importantly, so will the countless lives – whether those are the players on the PGA TOUR and beyond, millions of First Tee participants, or charitable organizations around the world – impacted by his life’s work.� Finchem joins Tiger Woods and Marion Hollins as part of the 2021 Induction Class. The Hall of Fame will round out the Class of 2021 by announcing the fourth and final Inductee in the coming days. The Class of 2021 is elected by the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee, which discusses the merits of 10 finalists. The Selection Committee is a 20-member panel co-chaired by Hall of Fame Members Beth Daniel, Nick Price, Annika Sorenstam and Curtis Strange, and includes media representatives and leaders of the major golf organizations. The finalists were vetted by the Hall of Fame’s Nominating Committee, which reviewed every candidate that met the qualifications of the Hall of Fame’s three Induction categories (Male Competitor, Female Competitor, Contributor). For more information on the Induction process, visit www.worldgolfhalloffame.org. Class of 2021 Selection Committee Hall of Fame Co-Chairs Beth Daniel Nick Price Annika Sorenstam Curtis Strange Institutional Seats World Golf Foundation Board Organizations Mike Davis, USGA Will Jones, The Masters Jay Monahan, PGA TOUR Keith Pelley, European Tour Martin Slumbers, The R&A Seth Waugh, PGA of America Mike Whan, LPGA Media Selected by World Golf Foundation Board Michael Bamberger, Golf.com Iain Carter, BBC Jaime Diaz, Golf Channel Doug Ferguson, Associated Press John Hopkins, Global Golf Post UK Beth Ann Nichols, Golfweek Ron Sirak, Global Golf Post At-Large Seats Selected by World Golf Foundation Board Peter Bevacqua, NBC Sports Group Jerry Tarde, Golf Digest/Discovery

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