THE PATH TO GREATNESS

Brian Wacker looks back on an extremely significant season for Justin Thomas, both on and off the course

- Brian Wacker

The business end of this year's US PGA Championship was drawing nearer late on Saturday afternoon at Southern Hills Country Club, where the temperature struggled to crack 60 degrees as a gentle and cool breeze wafted across the rolling hills that line the north-east corner of Oklahoma. But Justin Thomas was runnin' hot, as the locals might say.

At 29 years old and already with an impressive collection of 14 titles under his belt, having reached No.1 in the world and been an important member of two Ryder Cup teams (including one victorious one) and two Presidents Cup teams (all winners), he'd already had a fine career. But fine doesn't quite cut it for the hot-blooded Kentuckian, the son of a PGA professional and grandson of a lifelong club pro who competed in the same tournaments as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan.

Thomas, with just one Major Championship title, the 2017 US PGA, among a collection that also includes a Players Championship and two World Golf Championships, was fuming.

Having just carded a four-over-par 74 in the third round, he was certain that another opportunity to add an overdue second Major title had just slipped through his fingers. Seven strokes back of surprise 54-hole leader Mito Pereira and with a half-dozen other players between him and the Chilean, history wasn't on his side, either. Only Gary Player at the 1978 Masters, John Mahaffey at the 78 US PGA and Paul Lawrie at the '99 Open Championship at Carnoustie had come from at least that far back on the final day of a Major, with Lawrie's improbable win from ten back the high-water mark.