Thomas swings back into contention at Fortinet Championship

NAPA. Calif. (AP) — Justin Thomas committed to a driver change, tinkered just a little together with his swing and got immediate results with a 5-under 67 that left him 4 strokes off the pace Friday within the Fortinet Championship.

It was exactly what the previous top-ranked player needed after going winless in the course of the FedEx Cup season, taking some break day after which struggling through the primary round in Napa. Considered one of 4 U.S. Ryder Cup team members at Silverado Resort, Thomas feels a lot better about his game than he did a short while ago.

S.H. Kim played within the afternoon and made six birdies and one bogey for a 67 and a share of the lead with Sahith Theegala (64) at 12-under 132. Kim had a probability to tug ahead on his last hole, but left a 24-foot putt short on No. 18.

Sangmoon Bae (66) was third at 11 under, a shot ahead of Eric Cole (66).

Two-time defending champion Max Homa, also on the Ryder Cup team, had a 66 to match Thomas at 8 under. U.S. captain Zach Ryder (74) and co-captain Stewart Cink (72) were tied at 1-under 143 and missed the cut in the ultimate tune-up to the Ryder Cup in two weeks.

Mackenzie Hughes of Hamilton, Ont., is tied for thirty third at 5 under. Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., is tied for 89th at even par. Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., is tied for 136th at 4 over.

Thomas, using a brand new driver with a shaft nearly an inch longer, was way more crisp off the tee and got longer, more accurate drives because of this.

Thomas said he’s been practising using the brand new driver for about three weeks and is pleased with the outcomes, saying he may never switch back. He hit 8 of 14 fairways Friday and had a mean driving distance of 340 yards.

“If I drive it like I did today, I’ll use it for the remaining of my profession,” Thomas joked.

More significant than the change in equipment for Thomas was a slight alteration to his swing.

“Whilst a golfer we’re the primary guilty anything and every little thing else, but it surely was me,” Thomas said. “I could tell in a single video I used to be getting stuck underneath it. So I had a very good thought just from just a little 10-minute range session yesterday afternoon that I felt like could get me through today, and it worked pretty much.”

Theegala, winless on the tour, felt pretty good about his own round that included a chip-in for eagle out of a greenside bunker on No. 5.

That helped calm down even greater than he already was, an attitude he carried into Napa after stressing concerning the tournament in yr’s past when the Fortinet was the season-opening event.

That’s not the case anymore, because the tournament in Napa is the primary of seven that comprise the FedEx Fall.

Players who didn’t finish in the highest 50 can proceed to earn points, with those ending the autumn 51st-60 getting exemption for the primary two signature events of 2024 while players inside the top 125 retain their tour cards.

Theegala, thirty first in points, is already locked in for next season and was in a position to focus totally on his round Friday.

“The last couple years I used to be super nervous Monday through Wednesday, but this Monday through Wednesday I used to be really relaxed and form of just felt like one other tournament,” Theegala said.

Starting on the back nine, Theegala got off to a fast start with birdies on three of the primary six holes. After a bogey on the par-4 sixteenth, Theegala got back on course and got to 10-under with the eagle on No. 5 before closing his round with birdies on two of his final 4 holes.

“If I could just get my tee shots in play and get the motive force under control, I feel pretty good concerning the remainder of my game,” Theegala said. “I didn’t try this today. I got really fortunate, I got a pair very nice breaks.”