Justin Thomas said it was the probably the hardest he’s ever hit a drive.
But little did he know that his 414-yard bomb on “The Monster,” the 667-yard, par-5 16th hole at Akron’s Firestone Country Club, would help put him the record books.
Holing out from the rough, 56 yards from the pin, Thomas made just the third eagle on the hole since 1999 during Friday’s second round of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.
It helped him card a 1-under-par 69 for a two-day total of 139, 3 strokes behind leader Jason Day.
Thomas’ eagle was the first at No. 16 since 2008, when Soren Hansen made one in the second round. The only other player to pull it off was Charley Hoffman in the second round in 2007.
Playing in the first group at 10 a.m., Thomas got the benefit of a good roll down the slope at 16. He also correctly judged the wind that bedeviled the field all day.
“It was kind of that left-to-right wind where if I just turn it over the right amount, I can get it knuckling, and as soon as I hit it, I knew — I was just happy to hit the fairway,” Thomas said. “I hit it left of the world yesterday, but as soon as I hit it, I had a pretty good idea it was going to be down there.”
For his second shot, Thomas said he had 225 yards to the front of the green and 237 yards to the hole. His 5-iron landed left of the green in the primary rough.
“I really was just trying to get something to bounce up to the front, and I really just hit it a little bit harder than I wanted,” he said. “Walking up there, it was a pretty terrible spot. I was pretty furious I hit it there.”
Thomas called the lie “OK,” but figured the best shot he could hit would leave him a 12-foot putt. He realistically thought it would be more like 20.
“But that’s why you take your medicine. That’s why you try to hit it on the other side of the hole, and sometimes the flag just gets in the way,” he said.
Thomas wasn’t surprised that his eagle at 16 was so rare.
“No, not at all. Not only is it 670 yards, but the green is like hitting to a tabletop, and you’re probably going to be on a downslope unless you get it way down there,” he said. “If you do hit it down there, it’s going to be way downwind and you can’t hold the green. Barring a hole-out, I don’t see too many threes happening. Hitting the fairway is pivotal, and just trying to walk out of there with a 5 is a good score.”
Thomas won the CIMB Classic in November and has three third-place finishes during the 2015-16 PGA Tour season, including the Honda Classic and the Players Championship. His shot at 16 helped boost his confidence in his first appearance at Firestone.
”It was nice to finish my round under par,” he said. “I felt like I’d played better than 1 over, but it’s playing pretty hard out there. If you’re not driving it well, and the pins were very difficult today. I hit it well, I just didn’t make too many putts. That was really nice to get that to finish under par.”
Pose with the trophy
The Larry O’Brien Trophy presented to the NBA champion Cavaliers arrived at Firestone, complete with gloves bearing the NBA Finals logo for handling.
The trophy has its own itinerary for display at the $9.5 million Bridgestone Invitational. It will be under constant guard, and those posing alongside are not allowed to touch it.
On Saturday and Sunday, it will be displayed at the front entrance tent from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Among the players who took a photo with the trophy were world No. 1 Jason Day and his wife, Ellie. LeBron James landed on her while they were seated in the front row at Quicken Loans Arena last season for a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving her bruised.
“I just took a photo with the NBA trophy, and it was great. Ellie took a photo with me, and LeBron James didn’t come and tackle us, so that was a neat thing,” Day joked.
Good karma?
Day, who owns a home in Westerville outside Columbus, hopes Ohio’s sports success favors him in the final two rounds. The Indians extended their franchise-record winning streak to 14 games Friday and have not lost since the Cavs won Game 6 of the Finals en route to the city’s first championship in 52 years.
“Obviously, the Cleveland Indians are doing well right now, and I think that’s helping everyone in this city, and it’s even stretching down to Columbus, as well, with OSU and all that stuff,” Day said. “The sports in this state are doing pretty well. If we could just pick up the Browns, that would be nice.”
Withdrawals
With 61 players on Thursday, the Bridgestone already had its smallest field since 2001. That number was reduced by three during and following the first round.
Daniel Berger withdrew because of a shoulder injury after hitting his opening tee shot.
He will receive $50,500 in unofficial money and will not receive any FedExCup points.
Brooks Koepka withdrew during the first round with an ankle injury. Davis Love III, honored as the ambassador of golf on Wednesday, had his tournament end after the round due to a torn left hip labrum.
Love said he wanted to undergo season-ending surgery so he could rehab before serving as U.S. Ryder Cup captain the week of Sept. 26 at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.