Full-circle moment has Justin Thomas seeking third PGA Championship in his home town

LOUISVILLE — The emotional roller coaster that comes with competing in a major golf tournament in your home town did not begin this week for Justin Thomas.

That started a week ago when Thomas returned to Louisville and found it overly emotional when he was honored as a 'Hometown Hero,' which came with a 60-foot banner being unfurled from a building he would pass on his way to Saint Xavier High School.

"The things I’ve felt today, I’ve never felt in any golf tournament I’ve won," Thomas, who lives in Tequesta, said on that day.

Justin Thomas may live in northern Palm Beach County among the greatest collection of golf royalty. He may have recently upgraded to a $13.5 million mansion on the Loxahatchee River. And he may have recently dipped into the golf design business in the area, working with Jack Nicklaus on the recently opened Panther National in Palm Beach Gardens.

But he grew up on Kentucky bluegrass. And at PGA Tour events he is introduced as being from "Louisville, Kentucky."

"It's very special," Thomas said about returning home for the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course. "I would say this tournament at this golf course is a lot of reason for my love for professional golf and wanting to win majors and golf tournaments … And watching Tiger here in 2000 in person.

"So I'm happy it's here."

Thomas is used to playing golf in Louisville, but mostly at Harmony Landing Country Club, about four minutes from his home and 18 miles from Valhalla. As for this course, which is hosting its fourth PGA Championship, first since 2014, he's played it "10-15" times, the last, before a couple of practice rounds last week, being about a decade ago.

Thomas' dad and coach, Mike, and mom, Jani, call this a full circle moment for their 31-year-old son. Justin recalls being on the other side of the ropes as 7-year-old in 2000 to watch Tiger Woods' victory over Bob May in a three-hole playoff on this Nicklaus-designed course.

"I remember just being probably … inspired, being very in awe," Thomas said. "I just hadn't been to anything that big. I mean, the energy that week was crazy."

He said at that moment he had a "pretty good idea" he wanted to play golf.

"I'm very happy to be the one that's on this side of the ropes or taking part in the championship versus the one that's watching from the other side of the ropes," he said.

Thomas is chasing his third major, both coming in a PGA Championship, 2017 at Quail Hollow in Charlotte and 2022 at Southern Hills in Tulsa. But nothing would compare to holding this Wanamaker Trophy as the hometown hero.

But that would mean coming while working his way out of a difficult stretch that has seen the Official World Golf Ranking for this former No. 1 in the world drop to No. 31, his lowest in more than seven years.

More: If history is of any indication, look for Rory McIlroy to break 10-year majors drought | D'Angelo

Thomas, though, believes he's playing well enough to win. The frustrating part is he hasn't, although he has three top 10s. His last win was that 2022 PGA Championship.

"I just have to kind of keep trusting what I'm doing and understand I'm working on all the right things and know that it will happen," he said. "I just can't force the issue or press because that usually doesn't end well."

That could be difficult in a pressure-packed week with distractions, added attention and a spotlight even brighter than the one that typically shines on the elite in this game.

"I have a pretty easy time putting a lot of pressure on myself already, so that shouldn't be too much of an adjustment," Thomas said. "What I told everybody is I'm not really sure exactly how I'm going to feel. Like I've never experienced it.

"I've never played a professional tournament, let alone a PGA, in my hometown, so I'm sure it will be some new feelings, some good feelings."

Max Homa can help with that. Homa, the ninth-ranked golfer in the world who is seeking his first major, played that role a year ago at the U.S. Open, which was held at the Los Angeles Country Club, about 20 miles from where he grew up in Burbank.

And that didn't go so well as Homa missed the cut.

"It's tricky," Homa said. "I think though if you lean into the support you're getting, it helps a lot. It's easy to make it nerve-wracking. I'm sure he really, really, really wants to win this event more than another major. However, he's going to have tons of support, as he should. I think that's the part if you use that to your advantage that's where you get kind of … we don't typically get a home-court advantage in golf, but I think that's where you can kind of find it a little bit."

Thomas' two major titles being PGA Championships seem fitting. Few on Tour have a history with the PGA than Justin, part of a family of three generations of PGA members.

Mike is a PGA Tour professional at Harmony Landing and a former member of the PGA’s board of directors. Mike's father, Paul Thomas, was a 60-year member of the PGA of America.

"I've been very, very fortunate to have some great experiences at PGA Championships," Justin said. "I just remember in 2017 being on that 18th green and holding the trophy and shaking so many of the directors' hands … I mean, I have known them for so long, it was really cool for me."

But not as cool, he said, as seeing his dad beaming with pride.

"A full-circle moment," Justin said.

Be prepared, the circle now has come around once again. And if the result this weekend is the same as 2017 and 2022, that greenside celebration will included a lot more than his dad and mom.

Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf writer for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Justin Thomas PGA Championship: Homecoming for the Louisville kid