PGA Tour players struggle with putting, find success at ZOZO Championship

Poor putting can not only sabotage an otherwise excellent round but can also create an ongoing mental burden for even the best players. At this year’s ZOZO Championship, several players who have struggled on the greens all season showed flashes of brilliance with the flat stick in the first round, offering a glimpse of how transformative a hot putter can be at the highest level.

The ZOZO Championship, played at the demanding ACCORDIA Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan, saw three notable players who rank near the bottom in Strokes Gained (SG) Putting this season, yet found themselves in contention after round one.

Justin Thomas: Battling for Form

It has been a turbulent season for Justin Thomas, especially on the greens. Heading into the ZOZO Championship, Thomas ranked a dismal 167th in SG Putting, a metric that measures a player’s performance on the greens compared to the field. But on day one in Japan, Thomas turned things around, posting a solid 4-under-par 66, thanks in large part to a sudden surge in his putting performance. He ranked 36th in SG Putting for the round—far better than his season-long struggles.

For Thomas, who has dealt with well-documented frustrations this year, his strong start at Narashino speaks to the power of confidence with the putter. While it’s just one round, it could be the spark he needs to regain his form.

Jhonattan Vegas is a surprise contender at the ZOZO Championship

Unlike Thomas, Jhonattan Vegas has been somewhat more consistent on the greens, though far from elite. Ranked 107th in SG Putting this season, Vegas found himself in a similar position after round one at the ZOZO. Like Thomas, he posted a 4-under 66 and rode an impressive putting performance to secure a spot near the top of the leaderboard.

For a player who is known more for his ball striking than his putting prowess, Vegas’ surge on the greens may be a sign of what’s possible when the flat stick cooperates. If he can maintain this form, he’ll remain a contender as the tournament progresses.

Gary Woodland: Resilience on the Greens

Gary Woodland’s season has been plagued by inconsistency, particularly with the putter. Ranking 137th in SG Putting for the year, Woodland has had his fair share of frustrating rounds. However, in round one of the ZOZO Championship, he found something special on the greens, gaining strokes on the field in putting and posting a 2-under-par 68.

While Woodland’s putting was far from perfect, it was enough to keep him within striking distance heading into the weekend. For a player who has worked tirelessly to improve this part of his game, his round one performance in Japan could be a sign of things to come.

The Mental Toll of Poor Putting

For top-level golfers, poor putting can be mentally draining. The constant pressure to sink makeable putts or to avoid three-putting can wear on even the best players, leaving them frustrated and exhausted by the end of a round. When a player like Justin Thomas—one of the most talented golfers of his generation—finds himself ranking 167th in putting, it’s a testament to just how challenging the mental side of putting can be.

Yet, as we’ve seen at the ZOZO Championship, all it takes is one decent round (T36 SG Putting) with the putter to turn things around on the scorecard. For Thomas, Vegas, and Woodland, their strong starts in Japan offer hope that their putting woes may be behind them—at least for now.

As the tournament continues, it will be fascinating to see if any of these players can build on their improved performances on the greens and use the momentum from their hot putters to stay in contention over the weekend.