“Been the first to say ‘no’,” Justin Thomas on stepping out of ‘comfort zones’ and importance of media in modern-day
Justin Thomas advices PGA Tour players to become more accessible to media as its importance in modern day is vital for fan support.
Justin Thomas [Image Credit: Imago]
Justin Thomas recently talked about how important media has become in modern times, especially for the younger generation. In a plea letter to the PGA Tour, he asked his peers to open up to the possibilities of changes and give the fans the authenticity they desire.
The discussion came into the spotlight after the PGA Tour lost quite a bit of visibility in the recent outings. He thinks if the players can open up about their challenges, who they are off-field, their playstyle and difficulties it’ll humanize them more to the public.
Justin Thomas said that he is usually the first person to say no to change but seeing how well other sports are performing it seems inevitable. The difference became clearer of the decaying views after LIV Golf made it’s way into media in 2022.
He also added that if the players can carry a mic on the field the fans can have access to their small talks, discussions with caddies, and capture moments of the play. There can also be interviews of both players and caddies to give more clarity on any situation.
🚨✍🏻📺 NEW: In a letter obtained by @TheAthletic, Justin Thomas pens a personal message to PGA TOUR members asking them to consider providing more access to media / broadcast partners. Thomas suggests pre round interviews as one mechanism to help increase fan engagement. The… pic.twitter.com/1xPQq4Quwf
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) January 21, 2025
The changes that did not happen in the past are being made now with LIV Golf challenging the PGA Tour of its way. While the cold war between the two leagues remains unresolved, there’s hope they can mend the relationship in the future.
Greg Norman’s stepping down as LIV Golf CEO may provide bridge between PGA-LIV
Many believe that there can be talks about a patch-up following Greg Norman’s stepping down as LIV Golf CEO on August 31. Norman was replaced by Scott O’Neil and will be removed from the position this year.
When merger talks were at its peak, players like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy voiced out their opinions against Norman. They said any peace talks are futile until Norman leaves his office.
However, Norman begs to differ. He believes he was one of the reasons why the sport of golf has changed and is proud to be a part of this process. He even mentioned that he’ll not be retiring any time soon.
🚨🦈⛳️ NEW: Greg Norman says LIV is to thank for the PGA TOUR’s Player Impact Program and would like to ‘win the debate’ with Tiger & Rory during a sit down meeting. (Via @GolfDigestAU)
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) January 21, 2025
“I would love to. I would love them to recognise the fact that – like Tiger with his PIP… pic.twitter.com/HNEmmCvoVe
Greg Norman expressed that he still wants to be part of LIV Golf and help the Saudi-backed league in any way possible. Apart from that he is looking forward to increasing his golf course numbers and being part of this constantly changing process.
Kaushani Chatterjee
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