“It’s a long day.” When a seemingly tired Justin Thomas was asked about his Friday, he only had this much to say. He knew that Northern Ireland, where “you very often get a lot of seasons in one day,” could add to the pressure of missing cuts in 5 of his last 11 major appearances he was already carrying. But his real reason for being tired was probably the 6-hour long round because of the “traffic” on the course. However, there just might be one more reason for why Thomas was forced to confess to his tiredness.

Having carded 1-over 72 in his opening round at Royal Portrush, Thomas knew he needed to score low enough to make it to the weekend rounds. And so, scoring 69 in his Friday round, he did squeak inside the cut line with a 1-under total. The golf Gods were indeed on his side. But there’s always two sides to a coin, and let’s just say, for Thomas, that other side was agonizing. How, you ask? Well, it all comes down to his third hole of the second round where he shot a stunning 29ft right-to-left putt which even left the commentators happily surprised. But everyone soon came to a freeze.

Instead of finding the bottom of the cup, the ball teased Thomas by stopping just inches shy at the lip. “Fall in, it has to!” exclaimed one of the Sky Sports commentators. Another broadcaster added, “He should blow on it.” The moment was so absurd that JT even leaned over, casting a Harry Potter-like spell on the ball to go in. While it gave the crowd a moment to burst out a laugh, it did not make the ball go in. Ultimately, to avoid the 10-second stroke penalty, Thomas went for a straightforward putt to wrap up the day tied at 26 with 7 others. But his shenanigans didn’t end at the Royal Portrush.

Following this moment, Thomas updated his Instagram story and wrote a 6-word plea: “These need to drop this weekend!!!!!” He also attached the screenshot from one of the clips where the ball was stuck at the cup’s lip to show what exactly his frustration was pointed at. Interestingly, even the windy conditions were against his wish of seeing the ball fall in. Clearly, while he made the cut, the Gods were not on his side. At least not completely.

And this isn’t the first time Thomas has prayed for luck to make it to the weekends. At the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open, Justin Thomas pulled off a last-minute miracle! Needing a birdie on the 18th to make the cut, he rolled in a clutch putt, squeaking inside the cut line with a 1-under total. Following that Friday round, he took to Instagram and said, “Got ourselves two more rounds here at the @genesis_scottish_open. Time to make a move tomorrow!” He eventually finished T22 at the Genesis Scottish Open.

On the other hand, Justin Thomas is currently 6th in the Ryder Cup rankings, and he will need to keep up a strong showing in the upcoming events to make it to Bethpage Black, even if that means getting used to the “ups and downs” of golf.

Justin Thomas is looking to learn from the highs and lows of golf

Justin Thomas is riding the waves of his golfing career, navigating through the inevitabilities that come with the sport. Despite his struggles in major tournaments, where he has missed seven of 13 cuts since his PGA Championship win, Thomas has remained resilient. He currently ranks fourth in the FedEx Cup standings, thanks in part to his recent wins and top-10 finishes, even if it means achieving only 7 top 10s in his 16 appearances this season.

Still, Thomas took home the 2025 RBC Heritage title in April and followed up with a T2 finish at the 2025 Truist Championship, showcasing his skill and determination. Earlier this month, Thomas reflected on his career with a philosophical approach, saying, “I think there are a lot of different ways you can kind of go about it, especially if you’re fortunate to have a long career in any sport. In golf, you have plenty of ups and downs, and it’s kind of how you use them, right?”

Justin Thomas now has a secure spot in the Ryder Cup, a stark contrast to two years ago when he was on the outside looking in – until Captain Zach Johnson extended an invitation. With this opportunity, Thomas also looks forward to competing in another major international event and vying for the lucrative $25 million FedEx Cup prize. So, let’s hope Thomas’ plea works outside The Open as well.