The Loop
Justin Thomas questions his choice of white pants when he wrecks them with mud during Friday's wet second round
Harry How/Getty Images
You can’t say that the players at the Sentry Tournament of Champions hadn’t been warned about the potential for some rough weather on Friday in Hawaii. Since early in the week at Kapalua Resort, the forecast had been calling for gusty winds starting in the second round and likely lasting through the rest of the tournament. And Friday also was expected to include rain squalls that would lead to the rare less-than-perfect conditions in Maui.
It’s with this backdrop that we need to say, tongue firmly in cheek, that Justin Thomas probably got what he deserved with his choice of attire. Specifically, the decision to wear white trousers in the face of the foul weather.
On a pair of occasions, cameras caught Thomas taking his customary big divots during shots, only to have the residual dirt and mud fly back and spray him with the wind in his face. The first time, on the front nine, Thomas spent a few minutes meticulously flicking off the mud from his pants in hopes of keep his natty attire intact.
When it happened again on the 10th hole, however, Thomas’ pants weren’t the only thing splattered with mud. So was his face, with a little piece of the divot hitting him. It kickstarted this amusing exchange with his caddie, Jimmy Johnson.
Thomas: “It’s in the back of my shirt.”
Johnson: “You want the towel?”
Thomas: “I don’t know what I want.”
Here’s a clip of Thomas’ travails.
If that was the worst thing that happened to Thomas on the day, so be it. But we’re guessing he would have gladly taken a pail of mud all over his pants rather than the bogey-bogey finish to his round that had him wind up with an even-par 73 and sitting three off the lead of Xander Schauffele after 36 holes.