On certain days at Augusta National, Justin Thomas rarely has to worry about snagging a desirable practice-round tee time. And no, he’ll tell you, it has nothing to do with his resume.
Thomas was the featured guest on the latest episode of GOLF’s Subpar Podcast, which also happened to be the podcast’s milestone 200th episode. During the interview, he discussed his regular practice rounds at the Masters with golf legends Tiger Woods and Fred Couples. Together, Woods and Couples have an impressive total of six Masters titles, with Woods contributing five of them.
Thomas expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play alongside such esteemed players, emphasizing that he never takes it for granted. He considers himself incredibly fortunate not only to be friends with them but also to have the chance to engage in practice rounds together. He humorously admitted that during Masters week, he feels no shame in “big-timing” anyone.
As an anecdote, Thomas shared a story about a Mid-Amateur champion who had asked to play a practice round with him. Having known each other from their junior golf days, Thomas initially gave a non-committal response, saying they would see when they got there. However, when the champion approached him on Monday, Thomas had to decline the invitation, explaining that he would be playing with Tiger and Freddie.
Thomas expressed that there is no better way to enhance his well-being and adequately prepare for the golf tournament than by simply following Tiger and Freddie around Augusta. He confidently admitted to having no shame in this approach and stated that he will continue to do so in the future.
Additionally, Thomas mentioned another advantage of this strategy, which is the convenient access to tee times. He explained that the first tee at Augusta opens at 8 a.m. for practice rounds, allowing players to schedule their rounds early in case of unfavorable weather conditions later in the day.
Thomas further described the scene at the range, where numerous people gather to warm up. Despite the competition to be the first group off the course, Thomas humbly acknowledged that his group’s priority is not due to his own abilities.
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