Justin Thomas Leaves Painful 2023 Open Memories Behind To Claim Early Lead At Royal Troon

Justin Thomas says he has left his disappointing memories from last year behind as he got off to a strong start at the Open Championship at Royal Troon. 

The two-time Major winner carded a three-under 68 in the first round to claim the early clubhouse lead. 

Thomas shot seven birdies, two bogeys and a double on a wet and tricky day at the South Ayrshire links.

It was a significantly better start than his first round at last year’s Championship, when he shot one of the worst rounds of the day – and his career – with a 11-over 82 to kick off the 2023 Open at Royal Liverpool.

Asked about his progression from last year, Thomas replied: "Well, I would guess about 15 strokes better, 13 strokes? What did I shoot? Yeah, I couldn't even tell you what I was thinking or how it was then.

“I'm just worried about how I am now, and I'm very pleased with my game and know things are continuing to work in the right direction. I've just got to keep trying to play well.”

He said he is doing “everything better” compared to this time last year, which ended up being – as he called it – his “least successful season on the PGA Tour”.

With those memories well and truly left in the past, Thomas said he was happy with how he started the final Major of the year.

“I played really solid, got it around. I felt like I had great control of the ball. I hit a lot of fairways, which is a key I would say to any Major, but definitely in an Open, being able to control the ball coming into the greens. A little bit of a hiccup in the beginning of the back nine but stayed patient and kept plugging.”

The 31-year-old has had a mixed bag in his 2024 season so far, claiming five top-10 finishes, including the PGA Championship, while also missing the cut at several big events like the Masters and the US Open.

He is still chasing his first victory since the 2022 PGA Championship, and hasn't quite been able to put together four consistent rounds at a tournament since.

Thomas wasn’t able to back up a similarly strong start at last week’s Scottish Open, where he carded a 62 in the first round to claim his first lead on the PGA Tour since 2022, only to shoot over par in the following three rounds to finish in a tie for 62nd.

He said he was still hitting good shots last week but got “literally nothing out of my rounds”.

But he is confident that he is heading in the right direction and believes the results will soon follow.

“I feel like everything has been turning the right way, and I've been working on the right things. Just like I said, I haven't really had much to show for it. That's just how this game works sometimes. But I know that I'm close the way it is, and I'm just going to keep playing and not play for results, just play for my game, and it'll take care of itself.”