'I'm Not Going To Have An Asterisk Next To My Name For Winning This' - Thomas Defends Strength Of Players Field

Justin Thomas says he won't feel like he has an asterisk next to his name if he wins The Players Championship this week despite some big-name absentees

Justin Thomas at The Players Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham
By Paul Higham
published

Despite the absence of top players from LIV Golf at TPC Sawgrass this week, Justin Thomas insists there'll be no asterisk next to the name of The Players Championship winner.

The flagship event on the PGA Tour still holds the tagline of "the strongest field in golf" but that's obviously being called into question with the lack of LIV Golf League competitors.

And with the continuing kerfuffle over Official World Golf Ranking points, the strength of The Players has never been under more scrutiny.

But 2021 Players champion Thomas insists he won't be concerned about who is playing if he manages to lift the trophy again come Sunday.

"I mean, it's still been the best field in golf for many previous years," Thomas said at TPC Sawgrass. "You could always make an argument that there's other tournaments that are or are not.

"The PGA Championship has been the deepest field in terms of the most top 100 players, and I'm not just saying that for selfish reasons, it's just the truth.

"I know what you mean in terms of world ranking and guys that are or aren't on the Tour anymore, but that's just kind of the reality - and what they have put themselves in.

"And, yeah, I mean, I'm not going to have an asterisk next to my name for winning this because the field wasn't too good, right."

Thomas echoed Rory McIlroy's talk of fatigue around the entire LIV Golf, PIF, future of golf debate that's been around the last few years, but does seem optimistic at least moving forward.

Commissioner Jay Monahan has managed to keep his place at the top of the PGA Tour tree, and while not giving a ringing endorsement, Thomas likes the moves being made joining forces with SSG.

Jay Monahan address the media at TPC Sawgrass prior to The Players Championship

(Image credit: Getty Images)

And the promises of changes coming from the new PGA Tour Enterprises give Thomas hope - and seem to be giving Monahan some breathing space.

"I know that it's gone way - I shouldn't say way deeper, but it's just way bigger than Jay," Thomas said of the PGA Tour's future. 

"I think Jay's just a part of the huge group of people that has been pushing for all the changes and progress that the Tour's been making.

"So I've been pleased with all the latest stuff that's been happening and been going on, and Jay's been a part of that group, so I think this is a lot bigger than one person sitting there and making all the decisions. 

"Understanding he has his role, but there's a really, really big group of people and players that are involved now that I think are making a wholesome decision for all of us."

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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