{"id":1251258,"date":"2024-05-14T14:15:04","date_gmt":"2024-05-14T14:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/?p=1251258"},"modified":"2024-05-15T21:53:40","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T21:53:40","slug":"justin-thomas-aiming-for-third-us-pga-title-but-still-keeping-an-eye-on-leeds-play-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/justin-thomas-aiming-for-third-us-pga-title-but-still-keeping-an-eye-on-leeds-play-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin Thomas aiming for third US PGA title but still keeping an eye on Leeds\u2019 play-off"},"content":{"rendered":"

Justin Thomas will be aiming for a third US PGA Championship in his home town of Louisville, but he will also keep an eye on events almost 4,000 miles away.<\/p>\n

Thomas and Ryder Cup team-mate Jordan Spieth are among a group of star-studded minority investors in Leeds United, who face Norwich in the second leg of the Championship play-offs at Elland Road on Thursday evening.<\/p>\n

The 8pm kick-off has worked out well for Thomas, who has been given an early tee time for the opening round at Valhalla, where he will bid to lift the Wanamaker Trophy for the third time after victories in 2017 and 2022<\/a><\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very excited about my morning tee time on Thursday,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cThat has worked out nicely for that 3 o\u2019clock game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if he had any advice on how Leeds could improve their woeful play-off record \u2013 they have failed to gain promotion from all five of their previous attempts \u2013 Thomas added: \u201cMy advice is very different than probably anything that would be useful or helpful to them, but I know I\u2019ve really, really enjoyed learning a lot more about the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cBilly Foster [Matt Fitzpatrick\u2019s caddie], I think between him, Jordan and I, we\u2019ve definitely become a lot closer over the last year, and he\u2019s given us a lot of insight and knowledge in terms of Leeds and sending us videos from games.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now I like the fact that they\u2019re playing at Elland Road. I know that they\u2019re a tough team to beat there, so I\u2019m excited to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas turned professional the year before the US PGA was last held at Valhalla in 2014 and, although he failed to qualify a decade ago, he was on site as a seven-year-old spectator in 2000 when Tiger Woods beat Bob May in a play-off.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say this tournament at this golf course, watching Tiger here in 2000 in person, is a large part of my love for professional golf and wanting to win majors and golf tournaments,\u201d Thomas added.<\/p>\n

\u201cI obviously don\u2019t remember a lot, being seven years old. But I remember just being probably like inspired, being very in awe. I just hadn\u2019t been to anything that big. I mean, the energy that week was crazy.<\/p>\n