Justin Thomas, a force of nature with a golf swing envied for its athletic power and precision, seemed to lose his way, leaving fans and analysts asking a simple question: What happened? This article breaks down the layers behind his high-profile slump, analyzing the technical, statistical, and mental components of his struggle. We’ll also extract priceless lessons from his experience that every amateur golfer can use to understand and fix their own game when things go sideways.
For years, Justin Thomas was a model of consistency at the highest level. From his breakout 2017 season, where he hoisted the PGA Championship trophy, to his second major victory at the 2022 PGA Championship, his name was a permanent fixture on leaderboards. His game was defined by explosive driving, pinpoint wedge play, and the kind of fearless shot-making that wins tournaments. Then, the 2023 season happened.
The slip was gradual, then sudden. After a T4 at the Phoenix Open in February, the top-10 finishes dried up. The real alarm bells rang during the major season. He missed the cut at the Masters, battled to a T65 at the PGA Championship, missed the cut at the U.S. Open with rounds of 73-81, and missed the cut again at The Open Championship. He failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the first time in his career, an almost unthinkable turn of events for a player of his caliber. While he eventually made the Ryder Cup team as a captain's pick, his '23 season was a clear departure from the elite standard he had set.
From a coaching perspective, a slump of this magnitude is rarely about one single fault. It’s usually a cascade failure, where one core issue triggers a series of compensating errors and a collapse in confidence. For JT, it all started off the tee.
For most of his career, JT's go-to shot with the driver was a powerful fade. He knew where the ball was going to start and how it was going to curve. This predictability is the foundation of a great driving game. In 2023, that foundation crumbled. He developed a dreaded two-way miss - the ball could go significantly left or right without warning.
What was happening in his swing? His powerful lower body rotation, a source of his speed, appeared to get out of sync with his arms and hands. At times, his hips would spin out too fast, leaving the club "stuck" behind him. From this position, the only way to save the shot is with a last-second flip of the hands, which can lead to a hook. In an effort to correct this, a player might try to hold off that rotation, causing the club to come over the top, leading to a big slice. When you don't know which miss is coming, you can't commit. You stand over the ball thinking "don't hit it left," which almost guarantees you will hit it right.
The takeaway for amateurs: If you struggle with a two-way miss, stop focusing on the result and start focusing on sequencing. As we teach in the fundamental golf swing, the move from the top starts with a slight shift and then an unwinding of the body. You aren't trying to swing the arms, the arms are being pulled through by the rotation of your torso. A great drill is to make slow-motion swings focusing on the feeling of your chest, not your hands, controlling the downswing. This syncs everything up and promotes a one-way ball flight.
Justin Thomas has long been considered one of the best wedge players on the planet. Yet, during his slump, his typically stellar proximity to hole stats suffered. So did he forget how to hit a wedge? No, but his wedge game became a symptom of his poor driving.
Think about it. There are two kinds of wedge shots: offensive and defensive. Offensive wedges are from the middle of the fairway, 100-140 yards out. You’re aggressive and trying to make a birdie. Defensive wedges are from thick rough, awkward lies, or after being forced to lay up from the trees. You’re just trying to salvage par. Because of his driving, JT was forced to play defensive wedges far too often. It’s hard to be precise when you're navigating a bad lie or a poor angle to the pin. His wedge game didn't get worse, his opportunities to showcase it simply vanished.
The takeaway for amateurs: Your stats are all connected. You might think you have a "putting problem," but it could really be an approach shot problem that's leaving you 40-footers all day. Likewise, bad wedge stats could point to a leaky driver. Identify the root of the problem, not just the symptom.
Finally, the putter went cold. This is the last stage of the cascade failure. When you stand on the green facing yet another 12-foot putt to save par because your drive found the rough and your approach hit the fringe, the mental toll is immense. The putter starts to feel heavy, and the hole looks smaller. Positive, free-flowing strokes are replaced by tense, jabby ones. The negative cycle becomes complete: poor driving leads to frustrating approaches, which leads to high-pressure putts, which leads to missed putts and even more frustration directed back at your long game.
This was reflected in his Strokes Gained: Putting, which fell drastically during his toughest stretch. The frustration built from tee-to-green was spilling onto the putting surface.
Technique is only half the story. The mental and emotional side of golf is just as, if not more, important, especially at the elite level. JT’s slump happened in the mind as much as it did on the course.
Justin Thomas's road to recovery offers some of the most powerful lessons for any golfer trying to overcome their own struggles.
His first call was to his lifelong coach: his dad, Mike Thomas. They didn’t search for some new secret. They went back to the fundamentals. They focused on his setup, alignment, and the core rotational movements that made his swing great in the first place. You could see him on the range working diligently on basic drills, re-engraining the feelings that had gone missing.
Your Action Plan: When your game falls apart, resist the urge to search for a complicated fix on YouTube. Go back to basics. Check your grip and your setup. A proper setup - leaning from the hips, arms hanging naturally, feeling balanced - solves a huge number of swing faults before they even start.
To break out of a slump, you must detach your self-worth from your score. JT focused on making good, committed swings and accepting the outcome. He celebrated quality shots and processes, knowing that the good scores would eventually follow.
Your Action Plan: Define "success" for yourself on every shot. It isn't about whether the ball went in the hole. It's: Did I pick a smart target? Did I perform my pre-shot routine? Did I make a balanced, committed swing? If you can answer yes to those three questions, consider it a successful shot, regardless of the result. This builds positive momentum and reduces pressure.
There was no magic fix for JT. It was a grind. He put in the hours, trusted his coach and his process, and understood that slumps are part of the game - even for the best in the world. He remained patient, and signs of his old form began to return toward the end of the year and into the new season.
Your Action Plan: Positive change takes time. Don't abandon a swing change or new approach after one bad round. Improvement in golf is not a straight line. Embrace the process and celebrate small victories. Getting better is a marathon, not a sprint.
Justin Thomas’s struggles show that Golf is a humbling game that can test anyone, regardless of talent. His slump was a perfect storm of a technical issue off the tee creating a domino effect that crippled his wedge play, his putting, and ultimately, his confidence. His recovery reminds us all that the path back is paved with a commitment to fundamentals and a patient, process-oriented mindset.
When you find yourself lost on the course, asking "What is going wrong with my game?", having a trusted source of information is invaluable. This is why we created Caddie AI. If you have a two-way miss off the tee and need advice on a smart strategy for a tight hole, you can ask for a plan. If you're stuck in the trees figuring out the right play, you can snap a photo to get objective guidance. Our goal is to give you that expert-level advice right in your pocket, helping you make smarter decisions and get back on track before a small issue becomes a full-blown slump.
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