As the 2025 PGA Tour season kicks off in Maui at The Sentry, Justin Thomas arrives with a renewed sense of confidence and a bold declaration for his upcoming year. After a dry spell since his 2022 PGA Championship win, Thomas is aiming high, declaring that he believes he can have a season similar to Scottie Scheffler’s dominant 2024 campaign.
“I understand it’s not realistic in the percentages and the likeliness of it, it’s probably not, but I still fully believe that I can have a year like Scottie just had,” Thomas said ahead of the event. He continued, expressing that he believes in his game and is working on the right things, but emphasized that success doesn’t come solely from belief—it requires hard work and doing the right things consistently.
Scheffler’s 2024 season was exceptional, with nine victories, including prestigious wins at Augusta National, TPC Sawgrass, and the Olympics. Thomas had a close brush with Scheffler at the Hero World Challenge, where he led after 54 holes, only for Scheffler to win by a commanding six strokes. Despite Thomas finishing seven shots back after a faltering final round, he showed notable improvement compared to his 2023 season, which saw him miss three of the four major cuts and fail to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. In contrast, Thomas made it to the Tour Championship this past August, signaling progress.
As he begins 2025, Thomas has a more favorable schedule, with guarantees to play in all eight Signature Events, including the opening event in Maui. While his statistical results weren’t drastically different in 2024 from previous years, Thomas points out the fine margins on tour that make a significant difference, even if it’s not immediately apparent to the public.
The most notable setback of 2024 for Thomas came when he was left off the U.S. Presidents Cup team, an exclusion that hit hard given his patriotism and emotional connection to the team. “I was pissed off,” Thomas admitted, and that frustration may fuel his drive heading into the Ryder Cup year. He believes that his competitive fire, alongside his skills, will help him achieve a season akin to Scheffler’s.
With 15 career PGA Tour wins, Thomas is undoubtedly due for another victory, and perhaps that first win could unlock a new level of success. Whether or not he can replicate Scheffler’s extraordinary 2024 remains to be seen, but Thomas’s mindset and determination suggest that he could be poised for a big year.
