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Sentry Tournament of Champions: New Year, Same Justin Thomas

By Tim Letcher

KAPALUA, HAWAII - JANUARY 07: Justin Thomas of the United States plays his shot from the 16th tee during the first round of the Sentry Tournament Of Champions at the Kapalua Plantation Course on January 07, 2021 in Kapalua, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
KAPALUA, HAWAII - JANUARY 07: Justin Thomas of the United States plays his shot from the 16th tee during the first round of the Sentry Tournament Of Champions at the Kapalua Plantation Course on January 07, 2021 in Kapalua, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) /
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Justin Thomas won the Sentry Tournament of Champions last season in Hawaii. The calendar now says 2021, but Thursday looked like the same old Thomas.

The calendar may say 2021 and some things may have changed, but on the PGA Tour, some things have not. And that includes the fact that Justin Thomas is really good at golf.

In other words, new year, same old Thomas. And he showed that again on Thursday.

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Playing at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, Thomas started the 2021 calendar year much like he finished 2020 – playing solid golf and proving he’s a contender for the 2021 FedEx Cup.

He got started early on Thursday at the Plantation Course in Kapalua. Thomas birdied the first hole of the day, then recorded three straight pars.

However, he got things going after that. Thomas would birdie the par-5 fifth hole to get to 2-under on the day. After a par on the sixth hole, Thomas started a run that would vault him up the leader board.

Thomas went on a birdie streak and he did it in a variety of ways.

On the par-4 seventh hole, Thomas hit his approach shot to about 15 feet and rolled in a nice putt for birdie. On the par-3 eighth hole, Thomas stuck his tee shot within 10 feet and made his second birdie in a row. Then on the par-5 ninth hole, Thomas was close to the green in two and got up and down for an easy birdie to close his front nine with a 5-under par 31.

The momentum did not carry over immediately on the back nine. After three straight birdies to close the front nine, Thomas had four straight pars to open the back nine.

That streak ended on the par-4 14th hole. Thomas stuck his second shot to about five feet, then ran the putt in for his sixth birdie of the day. Then on the par-5 15th hole, Thomas was again close to the green in two and was able to get up and down for another birdie, this one getting him to 7-under on his round.

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After pars on the 16th and 17th holes, Thomas finished off his round with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th hole to finish at 8-under par. That tied him with Harris English for the lead after 18 holes of play.

Thomas has won here before and, on Thursday, he showed that he plans to contend again this year. While it may be a new year, 2021 appears to much of the same for Justin Thomas.

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