Justin Thomas offers verdict on peculiar PGA Tour decision: "It's strange"
Justin Thomas has offered his thoughts on the 'bizarre' decision by the PGA Tour to make Nick Dunlap play the first two rounds of the API on his own.
Justin Thomas says he doesn't know if it's an issue Nick Dunlap is playing the first two rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on his own.
But the American did say it was strange the youngster is flying solo at Bay Hill.
The peculiar scenario emerged after Tony Finau withdrew from the $20m signature event and reduced the field to 69.
Tournament organisers decided not to call up an alternate who hadn't qualified or even put Dunlap with another two-ball.
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Former PGA Tour pro Colt Knost expressed his firm opinion on the subject.
Knost blasted on X: "I love the PGA Tour and want it to be the best Tour in the world but what are we doing?
"I know Tony Finau was eligible and chose not to play but how in the world can we not have an alternate list? Just go to the next guy in line.
"This is so unfair to Nick Dunlap that he has to play by himself but it's so easy to fix – just put another guy in there!
"When guys went to LIV, everyone bumped up a spot and other guys went in.
"So if Tony's not playing, let's just bump everyone up a spot but we should not be playing short at the Arnold Palmer Invitational."
Dunlap returned a scorecard for an even par 72 in the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The aforementioned Thomas fared three strokes better than Dunlap and posted a 3-under 69.
Asked about the Dunlap situation, Thomas told reporters: "I don't know if it's necessarily an issue. I think it's just strange.
"Yeah, I think that they could have thrown him with a three ball or another two ball or something.
"I don't think it's necessarily like, 'Oh, we have one, now we need to add a person because we only have one.'
"These events don't have alternates for a reason, you have to qualify to get in them.
"I'm sure there's a different or better way to go about it, but it is very strange."
"I don't look at it as any of that"
It's no secret Thomas struggled for form in 2022-2023. His critics argued he was lucky to be picked for the Ryder Cup team.
In the majors, Thomas missed cuts at the Masters, U.S. Open and the Open. He finished T-65 at the PGA Championship.
Since the turn of the year, things are looking a bit more positive for Thomas with two top-10 finishes and only one missed cut.
Does he feel like he has now turned a corner?
"I mean, I don't necessarily look at it as any of that," he said.
"It's just really just a part of a career. I think what's easy, when you go and look at it at the end of a career, you kind of have your peaks, your valleys, whatever you want to call it, but when you look at it over 20 to 30 years it's just kind of like this, you don't see the huge ups and downs.
"Again, I'm just... everything's just in a better place."
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