The Paradox of Justin Thomas: Talent, Triumph, and the Look of Grievance

One of my good friends likes to refer to me as “internet famous.” He’ll say things like, “Hey, since you’re internet famous, do you know anyone with an extra U.S. Open ticket?” What he means is that I have a Twitter account with more than 18 followers, which I think was the number he reached before he deleted his account, which he never tweeted from. Nevertheless, one of the things about being internet famous is that people know things about you—they eventually get a sense of who you are and what you’re about.

So it will come as no surprise to anyone within my small circle of internet notoriety that I received numerous messages after Justin Thomas’s victory this Sunday at the RBC Heritage, the 16th win of his career on the PGA Tour—a decade-long journey that includes two major championships (which some might deem illegitimate), a Players Championship (widely regarded as legitimate), and over a dozen other incidental victories.

For those unfamiliar with my perspective, I am not a fan of Justin Thomas. In fact, I am quite the opposite, what you might call a “hater,” to use the vernacular of the internet. I find him smug and off-putting, self-satisfied, yet still miserable—intolerable in the truest sense of the word.

As the internet’s foremost "JT hater", I do have to make one thing perfectly clear. I think he’s an extremely talented golfer.

Thomas's iron swing is among the best of his generation. His reputation as a shot-shaper is well-earned. However, one of the reasons why I dislike the guy is how little he’s gotten out of so much talent.

A player with JT's ability should contend and win a lot more on the PGA Tour than he has. He has the ability to do so, and it would be asinine for me to pretend he doesn’t, just because I don’t like him.

But the reasons I don’t like him have very little to do with his game, and more to do with how he conducts himself as a player and a person.

The Art of Grievance: Reading Justin Thomas on the Green

Let’s zoom in on the 15th green at Harbour Town: Justin Thomas drains a 25-foot birdie putt to take the lead late on Sunday. Watch his face closely as the putt drops.