What’s in the Bag: Justin Thomas Wins WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

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Justin Thomas had been so close all year to his first World Golf Championship title he could taste it. Narrowly missing out on a victory at the Mexico Championship, JT dramatically holed out on the 72nd hole leading to a playoff with the eventual winner, Phil Mickelson. And then, at the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship, he placed 4th after falling in the semi-finals to the eventual winner, Bubba Watson.

At Firestone Country Club, in Akron, Ohio, Justin Thomas finally broke through for his first career World Golf Championship. He won the 2018 Bridgestone Invitational, shooting a 15-under total of 265, besting the star-studded field by 4 strokes for his third victory of the season. Kyle Stanley finished runner-up and Dustin Johnson, the World No. 1, finished third.

“I’m glad I finally played well around here,” said Thomas, whose two previous appearances had resulted in a tie for 28th and a low round of 67. This time he opened with a 64 and 65, and then carded a 67 and 69 on the weekend.

Thomas’s third victory of the season was especially sweet because his grandparents were in the gallery. His grandfather Paul Thomas, a former PGA club pro, played in the 1960 PGA Championship at Firestone.

“I got a little choked up when I saw grandma and grandpa over there. It’s really cool. They don’t get to come out very often.”

This tournament was special in many ways for Justin, but it was a somber and special event for the entire field. The 2018 Bridgestone Invitational was the last time Firestone will host an annual event on the PGA Tour. Firestone will continue to host the Senior PGA Championship, but this marks the end of an era. The 54-hole Firestone Country Club complex and the Akron community have played host to a professional golf tournament since 1954.

While this may be Justin Thomas’ first win in a few months, he’s won 8 times on Tour in the last 2 years. More than any other golfer. Now it’s on to this week’s PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, where world No. 2 Thomas will be ready to make a strong title defense.

Justin Thomas’s Clubs

(As reported by PGATOUR)

Justin Thomas swings Titleist clubs, from driver to putter. All did their part in Akron.

PGATOUR.COM reported: “Thomas recently added Titleist’s TS3 driver and fairway wood to the bag, but it was a mixed set of Titleist irons and a Scotty Cameron putter that led the way for the 25-year-old.”

Thomas led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-green, according to PGATOUR.COM, and also ranked third in Strokes Gained: Putting. His putting has turned around since going from a blade to a mallet, propelling him to four titles in less than 12 months.

Here’s a look at Thomas’s winner’s bag at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Driver: Titleist TS3 (9.5 degrees) with Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana BF 60TX shaft

3-Wood: Titleist TS3 (15 degrees) with Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei CK Blue 80TX shaft

5-Wood: Titleist 915Fd (18 degrees) with Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 Tour Spec X shaft

Irons: Titleist 718 AP2 (4-iron) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft; Titleist 718 MB (5-9) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM6 (46-08F degrees) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft; Titleist Vokey Design SM5 (52-12F and 56-14F degrees) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts; Titleist Vokey Design SM6 (60-08K degrees) with True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft

Putter: Scotty Cameron X5 Flow Neck Prototype (SuperStroke Pistol GT Tour)

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

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Neil Sagebiel

Neil Sagebiel is a golf writer and author of two golf books published by St. Martin's Press, THE LONGEST SHOT and DRAW IN THE DUNES. He lives in Floyd, Virginia.
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