Japan’s Saso wins Women’s Open for 2nd time

Nearly eight decades ago, a young boy trounced through the woods in search of work. Neither of his parents played golf, but this son of an auto mechanic had heard that caddying could be a good source of extra income.   It was 4 miles from his house to Avon Fields Golf Course in Cincinnati, Ohio. He made the commute on foot.   “I didn’t mind the walk over in the morning, but the walk home in the dark was spooky,� Paul Thomas said. He punctuates this sentence with a laugh, an acknowledgement that this scene – a 10-year-old boy walking through dark woods on the way home from work – is a remnant of a bygone era.    Paul didn’t have his own golf clubs, so he played his first rounds with the rental sets available at Avon Fields. The course let caddies play on Mondays. He remembers winning the caddie championship a few years later in the pouring rain.   These were the humble beginnings of a golfing genealogy that produced one of today’s top players. Paul Thomas begat Mike Thomas who begat Justin Thomas, the winner of the 2017 FedExCup and the defending champion at this week’s PGA Championship.   Paul Thomas turned pro as a teenager, but not for the same reasons his grandson made a similar move at age 20. Justin was a phenom who’d prepared his entire life for the pro ranks. Paul left school early to make a living.   “I was forced out (of school) because of finances, and that was the first opportunity at halfway decent employment,� Paul said. “I know it sure didn’t pay much in those days.�   Paul was a lifelong club pro, but also an accomplished player who competed in the same events as Palmer, Nicklaus and Hogan. Before Justin Thomas won golf’s richest prize, Paul would regale him with tales from professional golf’s hardscrabble days. Hearing about his grandfather’s brushes with the game’s greats stoked Justin’s passion for the game.   “He’s told me the same stories a million times, but I never tell him to stop,� Justin said. “I keep all his voicemails.�   His grandparents’ presence behind the 18th green was the reason Justin got emotional before hitting the final putt of his four-stroke victory at last week’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Paul and Phyllis Thomas had never been on-hand for one of their grandson’s nine PGA TOUR victories. Paul enjoyed ice cream for breakfast in player dining before watching Justin conquer the same Firestone course where he played the PGA Championship in 1960. Paul made the cut with a second-round 72 that even bested the great Ben Hogan by a stroke. As the courses have gotten longer and the crowds have grown larger, it’s become harder for Paul and Phyllis to watch their grandson play golf. They follow closely from their home in Columbus, Ohio, though. Paul was one of the first to call Justin after he won last year’s PGA at Quail Hollow. Paul felt the tension when Justin stepped to the tee at the watery par-3 17th and celebrated when his grandson’s 214-yard 7-iron stopped within 2 feet of the hole. “He stood up there like a man and just staked it,� Paul said. Paul could appreciate such a shot because he grew up in an era that demanded toughness. He took a crack at the TOUR as a 25-year-old in 1957, back when professional golf was still gaining traction and players caravanned across the country to play for pittance. Paul Thomas (center) stands next to his son Mike and grandson Justin. (Submitted photo) “I wasn’t nowhere near good enough. I was just scraping it together, anyway,� Paul said. “The TOUR was just getting organized. It was nothing like it is today. You’d enter one tournament from the last one.�   Paul served as an assistant pro at several clubs before becoming the head professional at Ohio’s Zanesville Country Club in 1963. He was 31 years old, and already had been a professional for 13 years.    He held the post for more than a quarter-century while remaining one of the top players in the Central Ohio PGA. He played with Arnold Palmer on the PGA TOUR Champions, made the cut in three U.S. Senior Opens and even beat former U.S. Open champion Tommy Bolt in an 18-hole exhibition.   Paul was an old-school instructor – “I don’t believe in theory because no two people are the same,� he said – whose students included two future LPGA Tour winners, Tammie Green and Michele Redman, and Mike Thomas, the second-oldest of his four sons.   Green, whose seven wins included one major, the 1989 du Maurier, lists Paul as the biggest influence on her career. Mike Thomas was a good amateur and an all-Ohio Valley Conference honoree at Morehead State before following his father into the club pro ranks.   Mike, too, enjoyed a lengthy tenure at one club, Harmony Landing Country Club outside of Louisville, and Justin reaped the benefits. The members were supportive of their head pro’s son, allowing him full use of the course and practice facility.   “You could tell when he was 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, he had something. You could tell that there was a big possibility there,� Paul said. “I remember telling him a long time ago that, as well as he drives the ball, don’t spend your time hitting those irons. Get out there and hit the sand wedge and the pitching wedge.�   The Thomas men all have strong short games. The putter was one of the strongest clubs in Paul’s bag. Mike was influenced by his father’s devotion to that aspect of the game, and he enjoyed practicing shots that he could see go in the hole. And Justin followed his father to the chipping green, a constant site of competition between three generations of Thomas men.   Paul won’t take credit for his grandson’s success, though.   “I would say the most help I ever gave him was playing with him and talking to him,� he said. “His dad is his only teacher, and that’s the way it should be.� Paul’s stories “influenced Justin’s love and passion� for the game, Mike said. Paul’s success as a player helped him teach course management and the art of playing the game. The older Thomases could be overly technical, though, so Mike tried to keep his instruction of Justin simple, focusing on the fundamentals. And after struggling to meet his father’s high standards, Mike also wanted to ensure his son had fun on the course. “My dad will be the first to tell you that he was pretty hard on me,� Mike Thomas said. “He had fun, but when it came to competition he was hard on himself. He was hard on himself, so he was hard on me. “That was a different era. Those guys truly did dig it out of the dirt.� Paul was born in 1931 in Ashland, Kentucky, a steel town on the border of West Virginia, but his family moved to Cincinnati when he was 5. Two of his early assistant-pro jobs took him to York, Pennsylvania, and Tequesta, Florida, where he worked for Ohio native and established PGA TOUR winner Dow Finsterwald at Tequesta Golf Club. Tequesta is a short distance from Jupiter, where Justin Thomas and a parade of other PGA TOUR players now live.   In 1958, Paul returned to Cincinnati to work as an assistant pro at Western Hills Country Club. He quickly established himself as one of the state’s top players. He won that year’s Southern Ohio PGA Championship to qualify for the PGA Championship. He never made it to the national championship, though.   Paul was declared ineligible because his membership to his new PGA section hadn’t yet transferred. Finsterwald, his old boss, won with a final-round 67, finishing two shots ahead of Billy Casper. Paul’s favorite player, Sam Snead, finished third.   There would be other PGA Championship chances earned, however. Paul played at Firestone CC in 1960 and Olympia Fields in ’61, and he also competed in the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont.   He missed the 54-hole cut at Firestone but had good company: Hogan, weeks after nearly winning his fifth U.S. Open, also failed to qualify for the final round.   Thomas remained a stalwart in his PGA section, twice winning the Central Ohio PGA Championship. His best success came in his 40s and 50s; he finished T15 in the 1983 U.S. Senior Open and played with Palmer in the final round of the Citizens Union Senior Golf Classic in Lexington, Kentucky. Thomas trailed Palmer by just a stroke entering the final round, but shot a 77 to Palmer’s 67. Those numbers have long since faded. The memory hasn’t.   Paul, 86, still plays a handful of times per week and gives the occasional lesson. He’s shot his age every year since turning 64. And, of course, he watches his grandson succeed in the family trade.   “After he showed that he was going to make it, I told him, ‘Only you can screw this thing up. It’s up to you to make something out of yourself,’� Paul said. “And he sure did.�

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Aaron Wise (+100 for a Top 20) … As explained in my Power Rankings and always conveyed when the PGA TOUR descends on an unfamiliar course, consistent ball-striking upon arrival is like a head start. Even the best putters need a round or two to find the feel of the greens. You’ll find the 25-year-old inside the top 45 on the PGA TOUR in Stroke Gained: Off-the-Tee, greens in regulation, ball-striking and SG: Tee-to-Green. He’s also T6 in par-3 scoring, a metric of value since Vidanta Vallarta has five one-shotters. And for even further support, he’s rested since a T21 at Harbour Town where he put his strengths to use and ranked 21st in SG: Putting. Tyler Duncan (+333 for a Top 20) … Fits the profile and he’s been performing well enough to warrant this reach. Currently third on TOUR in fairways hit, sixth in proximity to the hole, 37th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and T4 in par-3 scoring. In his last eight starts, he’s cashed six times, thrice for a top 25, including a T12 at Harbour Town and a T14 with regular partner Adam Schenk at TPC Louisiana. Emiliano Grillo (+400 for a Top 20) … When he’s on, the world-class ball-striker would be an automatic in the Power Rankings in a situation like this. At worst, it’d be considered cheating to classify him as a Sleeper, but with five straight missed cuts and 10 MCs in his last 12 starts dating back to November, there’s an argument that this endorsement is too hopeful. So, ease in only for a make-the-cut consideration. Chase Seiffert (+400 for a Top 20) … Despite conditional status, he’s opted to focus on the PGA TOUR this season, at least thus far. Because he’s eschewed moonlighting opportunities on the Korn Ferry Tour, he’s been limited to eight starts in the big leagues, but he’s made most of them count. Half have gone for a top 25, including a season-best a T18 alongside fellow Florida State University product Hank Lebioda on Sunday in NOLA. Patrick Flavin (+700 for a Top 20) … He’s not quite at the level of Patrick Reed or T.J. Vogel in terms of open qualifying, but the 26-year-old product of Miami (Ohio) University is in the field at Vidanta Vallarta via the four-spotter that was conducted on April 18. It’s the third time he’s turned the trick this season. He’s also 3-for-3 overall with a pair of top 25s, both of which as an open qualifier (into Bermuda and Puerto Rico). Odds were sourced on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. For live odds, visit BetMGM.

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The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance is presenting its 42nd edition this week. The last three winners – Hideki Matsuyama (2014), David Lingmerth (2015) and William McGirt (2016) – captured their first PGA TOUR victories at Muirfield Village Golf Club. This is in contrast to an opposing trend that was extended at last week’s DEAN & DELUCA Invitational. When Kevin Kisner secured the title on Sunday, he extended the tournament’s streak without a first-time winner to 16 editions. To put that drought into perspective, Sergio Garcia’s breakthrough at Colonial in 2001 is nearer in time (by almost a full year) to Jack Nicklaus’ last victory in a major (1986 Masters) than to today. POWER RANKINGS: the Memorial Tournament It’s comical that his T12-T13 run at TPCs Sawgrass and Four Seasons represented his first consecutive weeks outside top 10s in nine months. Solo third here last year. We’re already at the point that we’re surprised only when he doesn’t play well, no matter the venue, but Muirfield Village feeds all of his strengths. He should feast. Again. The 2014 champ added a T5 in his title defense before missing last year’s cut. Zero top 10s since winning the WMPO but his length and accuracy is always a threat. Returned to contention at Colonial (T2) with a return to his old putter. Led field in birdie-or-better percentage. Mixed results at the Memorial is highlighted by a T3 in 2015. Rested since season-best T6 at THE PLAYERS. T13 (2013) and T4 (2014) in last two trips to Muirfield Village. Sits 33rd in GIR, 18th in birdies-or-better, 13th in adjusted scoring. T8 (2015) and T11 (2016) in two tries, hardly unexpected given skill set. Ranks fifth in GIR and 23rd in adjusted scoring. Four top 10s and another three top 25s in 2017 alone. A horse for the course. Perfect in last nine trips with a win, a T2 and another seven top 15s. Logged top 15s the last two weeks. Under par in each of last six final rounds. Muirfield Village caters to his affinity of letting it sail off the tee (T11 in 2016) and he’s already confident on its greens. Chased two U.S. top 10s with a T24 at Wentworth. A regular participant since his rookie season of 2009. T5-T11 in his last two trips with a scoring average of 69.125. Rank ninth on TOUR in adjusted scoring. Got back on the board with a T12 at Colonial where his precision and putting was on display. The regular at Muirfield Village went a respective T4-T8-T18 from 2013-2015. Renewed confidence in short game has led to four top 25s upon arrival. T8 here in 2016; ranked T7 in GIR, fourth in strokes gained: tee-to-green, second in par-5 scoring. Did it all but slam the door after holding the 54-hole lead at Colonial. Ranked eighth in the field in proximity and fifth in strokes gained: putting. T11 at the 2016 Memorial. Remains in pursuit of his first top 25 at Muirfield Village, but 2017 has been an anomaly. Fresh off playoff loss at the AT&T Byron Nelson where his greenside touch was dialed in Converted on cue at Colonial where everything was clicking. Muirfield Village is a bigger ballpark but he placed T8 here in 2015, ranking fourth in strokes gained: putting. Riding 0-for-4 skid at the Memorial, but that mirrors a career slump. Three top 15s prior. Comes in hot for 11th appearance with a T5 (Byron Nelson) and T2 (DEAN & DELUCA). RANK PLAYER COMMENT Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Charl Schwartzel are among the notables who will be included in Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider. Muirfield Village is a stock par 72 tipping at 7,392 yards, but it’s hardly a secret that it’s a second-shot track even throughout its tireless evolution of nips, tucks and more invasive strategic and cosmetic upgrades. Despite greens that average just 5,000 square feet and save the occasional deviation, it’s been one of the most scorable courses on the PGA TOUR. The objective has been as simple as the definition of good golf: hit greens in regulation and press your luck with the putter. Last year’s field averaged 11.85 GIR per round. That yielded a birdie-or-better clip of 34.94 percent, which was third-highest on any course all season. The scoring average landed at 70.987, lowest in recorded history (since data were first maintained in earnest in 1983). Course modifications since McGirt posed for pictures were primarily subtle as compared to previous years. The most noticeable change occurred at the par-4 third hole where two fairway bunkers at the end of the elbow left were removed. A tee ball hadn’t landed in one since 2014 when Justin Lower found sand in the opening round. Fulfilling the expectation as the first northern site of the 2016-17 season, bentgrass is grown everywhere but in the rough where a blend of Kentucky bluegrass, rye and fescue is allowed to grow as high as three-and-three-quarter inches. The devilish greens are prepped to run at least 13 feet on the Stimpmeter, serving as an omnipresent reminder of the value of confidence on approach. On Tuesday, The Confidence Factor (formerly known as Comfort Zone) will expand on what the last three winners did en route to their victories, as well as identify which factors have defined success at Muirfield Village. Indeed, precision and accuracy on approach are keys, but you might be surprised by a couple of other influences. Seasonal conditions are forecast throughout the tournament. Daytime highs are unlikely to escape the 70s. In between a dry and calm open and close, rain and thunderstorms will pose a threat. With it, winds will kick up. With a limited field in this invitational, tournament officials will have flexibility to deal with weather concerns and still finish on time. The winner will receive a three-year PGA TOUR exemption (through 2019-2020). Total prize money is up to $8.7 million, a rise of $200,000 since last year. The champion will bank $1,566,000.00. ROB BOLTON’S WRITING SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Columnist Rob Bolton will be filing his usual staples leading up to this week’s event. Look for the following columns this week. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings TUESDAY*: Sleepers, The Confidence Factor, Fantasy Insider WEDNESDAY: One & Done THURSDAY: Ownership Percentages in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf and One & Done presented by SERVPRO * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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