Speaking ahead of his second career start at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM, Justin Thomas found himself dispensing a hefty dose of straight talk and down-to-earth guidance to the new generation of golfers, like American Express winner Nick Dunlap.
When asked about the best advice he received when starting out and what he'd impart to a newcomer like Dunlap, Thomas took a quick trip down memory lane and shared some wisdom.
At the starting line of his professional career, a younger and less experienced Thomas drew insights from a conversation he once had with Hudson Swafford.
"For me, the best advice I heard is -- I'll never forget it, and I've told this to a lot of rookies on Tour. It was actually from Hudson Swafford, it was in Sea Island, it was 2014, it was like my third or fourth tournament in whatever, my rookie season and I had gone missed cut, missed cut, MDF, and I had one whole FedExCup point through three events. It was Saturday night and we were just at a bar there. I wasn't playing on Sunday and I think he had missed the cut. We were kind of having some drinks, a group of us, and he was like, I don't really know what you're celebrating for, I don't know like what your -- a lot of you rookies are having fun for.
"You think you have your Tour card. He's like, you don't. Rookies do not have a Tour card. He's like, you do, but you don't have the ability to choose where you're playing, you're not in all the tournaments. He's like, everybody comes out here their first year and I think they are so excited to finally have a PGA Tour card and they feel like they're on top of the world when in reality you haven't earned that until you have it after that first year."
Swafford's words have helped shape a pretty successful career for the 15-time event winner. After all, Thomas still has his Tour card and has managed to rack up plenty of accolades during his time on the tour. Notably, those accolades include winning the 2017 FedEx Cup just a few short years after Swafford's blunt insight.
"I don't know why that just resonated with me that I pretty much needed to start working harder and go out and earn it. I can always thank Hud for that."
Justin Thomas's Advice for Nick Dunlap
Bringing the focus back to today's new kid on the block, Nick Dunlap, Justin Thomas paints a vivid picture of Tour's less glamorous side. At a dinner gathering hosted by Sam Reeves on Monday, a tired Dunlap was candid about his exhaustion with his fellow tour-mates.
"He was like, man, I'm so tired. I was like, dude, I don't really care, you should be sleeping right now getting ready to go to class tomorrow morning and I'm pretty sure all of your teammates would happily switch with you, so be careful who you say that to," Thomas responded.
The Tour card, as it would seem, is both a privilege and a prod to keep going.
As for advice to Dunlap, Thomas made it clear. "I think for him, and I've told him this, I talked to him a little bit last week, just remember who he is and stay true to that."
Thomas dispelled the rookie illusion of instant success on the Tour and urged Dunlap to remember who he truly is amid the whirlwind of opportunities and temptations that this new life will offer.
"I think it's easy to get a little bit taken over by the opportunity...when in reality, that's probably not for the best," Thomas added.
From the newfound access to equipment trucks, experienced coaches, enticing trainers, and caddies, the spoils of the rookie status can easily sidetrack any player. But Thomas remained firm in his message.
"It's important that whatever he's always done, to continue to do that."
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