How Justin Thomas Could Become World #1 This Week

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published 2 May 18

The world number two has another chance to reach the summit of world golf this week

How Justin Thomas Could Become World #1 This Week

Dustin Johnson has been world number one for well over a year now but his time atop of the golfing landscape could be up.

Justin Thomas is the man ready to usurp him and he could do it this week.

It would be fitting that JT reached the summit of world golf at Quail Hollow, the course where he lifted his first major trophy last August at the USPGA Championship.

The 24-year-old has been banging on the door all year and just needs a top-12 finish at the Wells Fargo.

JT could have become world number one at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March by reaching the final but lost out to eventual winner Bubba Watson in the semis.

He then could have reached the top spot again a couple of weeks back at the RBC Heritage if Dustin Johnson finished outside of the top 32. He didn't.

However, he has it all in his hands again this week and looks odds-on to if he plays well. He has finished inside the top-12 in 10 of his last 16 starts.

Thomas revealed the pressures of how the looming world number one spot got to him at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. This is something he'll again have to deal with this week.

“I haven’t had such a hard time thinking about something so much,” explained Thomas.

“And that really sucked.

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“I couldn’t stop thinking about it, to be honest. And I think you’re constantly getting questions about it with the media.

“But I need to be mentally stronger than that, and understand that it’s just a match.”

The 24-year-old has won eight times on the PGA Tour now including his first major at the USPGA Championship in August.

Thomas has finished T17th at The Masters and has made his last 16 cuts in a row since The Open at Royal Birkdale in July, not including his 4th place finish at the Match Play.

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Elliott Heath

Elliott Heath is our Senior Staff Writer and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016. He graduated in Sports Journalism in 2016 and currently manages the Golf Monthly news, courses and travel sections as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Elliott has interviewed some huge names in the golf world including Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Bernd Wiesberger and Scotty Cameron as well as a number of professionals on the DP World and PGA Tours. He has also covered three Open Championships on-site including at Carnoustie in 2018 when he was inside the ropes with Tiger Woods. He has played 31 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Old Head and Alwoodley. He currently plays at West Byfleet Golf Club in Surrey, where his handicap index floats between 3-5. His golfing highlight is making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, and he has made one hole-in-one.

Elliott is currently playing:

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3 wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max

Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max

Irons: Mizuno MP5

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x