Justin Thomas Weighs In On Presidents Cup Antics And Admits It 'Kills' Him Watching From Home

The American has given his thoughts on the 2024 Presidents Cup on X, including how difficult it has been for him to watch it, rather than play in it

Justin Thomas takes a shot at the Tour Championship
Justin Thomas has weighed in on the antics at the Presidents Cup
(Image credit: Getty Images)

When Jim Furyk announced his six captain's picks for the US Presidents Cup team at the start of the month, one notable omission was two-time Major winner Justin Thomas.

The former World No.1 didn’t do enough to qualify automatically despite an improved season after an alarming loss of form in 2023.

However, he still reached the final FedEx Cup Playoff, August’s Tour Championship at East Lake, where he finished seventh, suggesting he would be hard to overlook when it came to Furyk’s selections.

Also working in Thomas’s favor was the fact that he had played in the previous three editions and accumulated an impressive overall record of 10-3-2 overall.

Those adantages still weren't enough to persuade Furyk to select him, who explained at the time: “There are a bunch of guys that I would want on this team. It was a difficult decision with JT. Definitely a difficult call to make.

Justin Thomas celebrates making a putt during the 2022 singles session of the Presidents Cup

Justin Thomas has an impressive 10-3-2 record at the Presidents Cup

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Even though Thomas is sitting out this year’s edition at Royal Montreal, he isn’t letting events pass him by, and has expressed on X how much he is enjoying the action, even though he admits it is difficult watching from home.

He wrote: “Wasn’t sure if I’d want to watch or not, but mannnnn have I enjoyed watching this @PresidentsCup. Some serious golf and emotion going on out there. Kills me to be watching from home but I’m cheering hard for team USA. LFG BOYS.”

Much of the emotion Thomas referenced was laid bare on Saturday, in particular after Si Woo Kim, playing alongside fellow South Korean Tom Kim, produced an epic chip-in for the Internationals during the afternoon foursomes session.

He followed that up by mimicking basketball star Steph Curry’s “night night” celebration at the Olympics - a moment that was mocked by US player Wyndham Clark moments after Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay finally ended the challenge of the Internationals duo.

Si Woo Kim celebrates his chip-in during the Presidents Cup

Si Woo Kim had a memorable celebration after his chip-in during the Saturday afternoon foursomes

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Thomas was asked about the Si Woo Kim celebration, and he explained that, in the moment, it can be hard to keep your emotions in check. 

He wrote: “It’s no surprise I love guys showing emotion and getting into it in these team events. As a viewer SW and Tom were the energy yesterday for their team. I also think some of those celebrations are so out of body you don’t even know what you’re doing haha.

“While I’m sure a few of them were taken a little further than they intended, it’s part of what makes these events so special. Damned if you do damned if you don’t type situation. Also easy for me to say sitting on my couch and not actually happening to me in person.”

By the end of Saturday’s play, the US had taken control of proceedings to lead 11-7 heading into the Sunday singles, where the team was closing in on its 13th win in 15 editions since the Presidents Cup began in 1994.

Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.