Justin Thomas is gearing up for the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club with renewed focus and a fresh driver setup, aiming to sharpen his game on one of golf's most challenging stages. After a breakthrough victory earlier this year at the RBC Heritage, which ended a nearly three-year winless stretch, Thomas is determined to build momentum despite recent inconsistencies.
In April 2025, Thomas finally broke through with a thrilling 21-foot birdie putt to clinch the RBC Heritage title, his first win since the 2022 PGA Championship—ending a 1,064-day drought. The victory was especially meaningful as it was his first as a new father, with his wife Jillian and daughter Molly by his side. Thomas reflected on the win, saying, “Wins, they don't come very often in our sport, and anytime that any of us are lucky enough to do it, it's a special moment. It was my first win as a father and having my wife Jill and my daughter Molly there was really cool, and my dad was there.”
Since that triumph, however, Thomas has faced challenges. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship with rounds of 73 and 72, finishing +3, and struggled at the Memorial Tournament, opening with a tough 8-over 80 before rallying to a T31 finish. Despite these setbacks, Thomas has recorded six top-10 finishes in 13 events this season, including three runner-up placings, demonstrating flashes of the form that once made him a two-time World No. 1.
Heading into Oakmont, a course notorious for its punishing rough, severe fast greens, and unforgiving layout, Thomas has made a strategic equipment change. Working with Titleist metalwood fitting expert JJ Van Wezenbeeck and his coach Matt Killen, Thomas tested various driver and shaft combinations last week at Troubadour Golf & Field Club in Nashville. Van Wezenbeeck remotely monitored the sessions via FaceTime, analyzing Trackman data and ball flight to optimize Thomas’s setup.
Previously, Thomas used a Titleist GT2 10-degree driver with a D2 SureFit hosel setting (-0.75 degrees of loft and 1.5 degrees upright lie angle). This setup had seen his spin rates creep upward to around 2,800 RPM, a figure that increased as his swing speed picked up over the summer. Seeking to flatten ball flight and reduce spin, Thomas and his team settled on a new configuration for the U.S. Open: a Titleist GT2 9-degree head in a D4 setting (+0.75 degrees of loft and standard lie angle) paired with a Fujikura Ventus Black VeloCore+ 6 X shaft.
Early reports from Oakmont indicate the change is paying dividends. Van Wezenbeeck noted that Thomas was averaging about 179 mph of ball speed with the new driver, an improvement over his season average of 178.13 mph. More importantly, Thomas now enjoys the ball flight characteristics he prefers, which should prove crucial on Oakmont’s demanding fairways and thick rough.
Thomas’s season statistics highlight his strengths and areas for improvement. He ranks fourth in Strokes Gained: Total, eighth in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green, and 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting, showcasing his all-around game. However, his driving metrics reveal room for growth, with a 94th place in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 121st in Driving Accuracy. Given Oakmont’s brutal rough, dialing in the driver was a priority.
Off the course, Thomas is balancing his professional ambitions with new family life. He and Jill welcomed their daughter Molly in November 2024, and fatherhood has brought a fresh perspective. “It’s obviously an adjustment like anything is in life; I’ve been very lucky. I have a great wife who’s helped adapt to those changes,” Thomas shared. He also expressed his heartfelt desire to win the U.S. Open on Father’s Day, a dream he hopes to share with both his father—a PGA professional who profoundly influenced his career—and his daughter.
Thomas’s father played a pivotal role in nurturing his love for golf. “I always did. I mean, I grew up around it. I always played it, so it just was in my blood,” Thomas explained. He recalls a playful rivalry that ended when he first beat his dad in golf, a moment that marked the beginning of many more shared memories on the course.
Beyond golf, Thomas is committed to raising awareness about skin cancer through his co-founded sunscreen brand, WearSPF. His personal experience with melanoma in 2019 profoundly shaped this mission. “I was very, very lucky to catch it early on to where no treatment or nothing further was needed,” he said. Thomas hopes to make sunscreen “cool” and encourages everyone, especially young golfers, to prioritize skin safety.
While Thomas is acutely aware of the challenge posed by World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler—who has dominated the PGA Tour with six top-5 finishes since March 2025—he remains motivated. Currently ranked fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking and nearly 500 points behind Scheffler, Thomas joked, “Maybe Scottie doesn’t play or something. You can’t really catch that if he keeps doing what he’s doing.” He praised Scheffler’s mental toughness, calling it “maybe more impressive than even the golf he’s playing.”
Thomas recognizes his own inconsistency, admitting that he often starts tournaments strong but then “tries to force it” on weekends. Yet, his confidence is undiminished. “It’s still on the forefront of my mind,” Thomas said about reclaiming the top spot. “I obviously can’t do anything about what [Scheffler] is doing, and he doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of slowing down or wanting to. Just try to win some tournaments, and hopefully get close sooner rather than later.”
As the 2025 U.S. Open unfolds at Oakmont, Thomas is poised to test his refined equipment, mental resilience, and physical preparation. With a new driver setup, a supportive family, and a burning ambition to add a third major title to his resume, the stage is set for a compelling showdown. Oakmont’s punishing conditions will demand every ounce of skill and focus, but Thomas’s blend of experience and determination could make this Father’s Day weekend one to remember.
