PGA Tour golfer Justin Thomas: "I can't believe I'm saying this"

PGA Tour star Justin Thomas has thought long and hard about the subject. 

Who should be crowned the player of the year?

There are clearly two viable candidates at this point in the season. 

To some, Scottie Scheffler is the best player since Tiger Woods. 

The 28-year-old won his second Masters title in April, along with six other victories on the PGA Tour and an Olympic gold medal. 

On the other hand, Xander Schauffele finally broke through in the majors and clipped two of them. 

"I've had this conversation with a couple different group texts," Thomas told reporters ahead of the BMW Championship. 

"It's tough. I think it's very situational of where you are in your career. For me personally, two majors sounds a lot cooler than one. 

"But then again, winning six times, all of which being elevated events and Players and a gold medal sounds nice, too. 

"[It] might be better to answer that question if something were to happen the next couple weeks."

He added: "For me personally, I would -- I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I would take Xander's just because of two majors."

"I'd say it's been a good year"

Thomas heads into the second leg of the FedExCup playoffs in a different mindset than 12 months ago. 

He didn't even make it to the postseason last year and a Ryder Cup appearance was in doubt.

He's got a different caddie now after he made the shock decision to split with Jim 'Bones' Mackay before the 2024 Masters. 

Thomas hasn't won this season but he's missed fewer cuts and believes that he's now turning up to tournaments believing he can win and not just trying to play well to make a Ryder Cup team. 

"I'd say it's been a good year," Thomas said when asked to rate his season. 

"I feel like I've done a lot of really good things. I just haven't scored as well as I feel like I've kind of played, especially these last couple tournaments."

He added: "The biggest thing is I just haven't won, and I think that's really the only thing or the difference of keeping it from being a really, really good year, and I have two weeks left to try to capitalize on that and see if we can't make it a great year."

PIF update

Thomas was asked if he believes after 2025 things will look different in men's professional golf. 

The PGA Tour have released their schedule for the 2025-2026 season and commissioner Jay Monahan has suggested nothing is on the horizon soon in terms of an agreement with LIV's backers. 

Asked if he believes changes will be on the horizon after next season, Thomas said: "I don't know. I would think that it's going to change at some point. 

"I don't know when it is. I think everything does eventually, and I think when all of us are -- and the Tour is pretty committed to trying to make our product as good as humanly possible, I'm sure there's other ways to do that. 

"What that is, I don't know. Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me to see things different after next year."

LIV Golf players

Thomas was previously extremely critical of those who joined the breakaway tour. 

He insisted that despite the public criticism, he still has cordial relationships with the likes of Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm. 

"Nothing has changed from when I've seen them in the majors," Thomas said. 

"You just kind of say hi and go about your business."

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