Justin Thomas texted Scotty Cameron representative Drew Page and asked for Cameron Young's putter, then used it to push himself into the thick of the Truist Championship. Thomas was tied to the tournament's early drama after two rounds at Quail Hollow, sitting in third place at 7-under and two shots behind leader Sungjae Im.
He got the new putter on Monday, before the tournament began, and then spent Thursday paired with Young while the two were wearing the same shoes. On Friday, Thomas joked that he was not trying to copy everything Young did, before adding that maybe he was. The exchange fit the week at Quail Hollow, where a borrowed club and a clean start were enough to turn heads.
Thomas opened with a 67 and followed with a 68, leaving him in position for Saturday's final group alongside Alex Fitzpatrick. The setting gave the run extra weight: Quail Hollow is where Thomas won the 2017 PGA Championship by six shots, and this week's leaderboard again had him near the top at a course that has favored him before.
The result matters because Thomas has not spent much of the season in this position. He has played just six times since coming back from a November microdiscectomy, and his lone top-10 finish came in a T8 at THE PLAYERS. He said his body feels really good and that he feels he is swinging it a little better, but he also said he has had tournaments where he played pretty well and had nothing to show for it.
That is the tension in Thomas' week: the health is improving, the form is closer, and the ceiling is still obvious, but a borrowed putter and a strong start do not erase the grind of returning from surgery. Thomas said that is just how the sport works, whether a player has been healthy for 20 years or is just coming off an operation. Saturday will show whether this week becomes a step forward or just another near miss.
