Justin Thomas made golf history on Friday, March 14, 2025, at TPC Sawgrass during the second round of The Players Championship, tying the course record with a remarkable 10-under par 62. This stunning round came after he struggled significantly on Thursday, where he shot 78, battling through three bogeys, two double bogeys, and one triple bogey.
On Friday, Thomas needed to significantly improve his score just to make the cut, as he started the round sitting at 6-over par. He opened strong, quickly birdieing the first two holes, and by the time he reached the turn, he was 5 under for the day and climbing up the leaderboard.
Thomas's display of skill continued as he carded birdies on each of the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 16th holes. One of the highlights of his round was an 18-foot putt he sunk at the famed island green on the 17th hole, lifting him to 11 under for the day and igniting cheers from his friends nearby.
“I’m just happy to have a tee time tomorrow,” Thomas reflected after his round. Despite his impeccable performance, he faced disappointment on the 18th hole when he hit his tee shot off the fairway and then followed with another poor shot, landing his ball in the water hazard beside the green. After dropping and hitting his approach shot, Thomas made par 22 inches from the cup for what became his only blemish of the day, finishing with a bogey instead of claiming the course record outright.
"I didn’t know [about the course record]," Thomas said of his mindset as he approached the last hole. "I just wanted to make another birdie, and then once I missed the fairway, birdie is kind of out of the question.”
His performance marked not just the tying of the course record but also the all-time record for the most birdies made during one round of The Players Championship, with 11 birdies total. This impressive improvement of 16 strokes from his first round to his second set the record for the tournament and lifted him up over 100 spots on the leaderboard.
With this success, Thomas stands now at 4-under through two rounds of play, though he trails the co-leaders, Min Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia, by seven strokes as they each sit at 11 under.
Thomas, who has achieved 15 victories on the PGA Tour, has not won since the PGA Championship in 2022 and missed the cut at The Players Championship last year. Yet, he came prepared this week, having already recorded three top-10 finishes this season, including runner-up at The American Express.
Reflecting on the mental aspect of the game, Thomas shared, "It was just staying present, just focus on what I'm doing, not focusing on what could be, where the ball could go, anything." His superior mental focus played as significant of a role as his skillful shots, allowing him to weather the storm of his prior round’s challenges and come out victorious on Friday.
Thomas’s performance not only thrilled fans and commentators but also cemented his place as one to watch as the tournament continues. With two rounds left and his improved confidence, Thomas is poised for what may be more magic at TPC Sawgrass. “I did an unbelievable job just staying present,” he expressed. “It was just one of those days.”
Join golf fans as they tune in for the weekend’s action, where the unpredictability of golf proves to be the thrill of the game.