Thomas is asking fellow PGA Tour players to give more access to broadcast partners

The PGA Tour starts its network television schedule this week with CBS at Torrey Pines for the first of its 19 tournaments. And it already has received a boost from Justin Thomas.

Just over a year ago, Thomas was hesitant to get involved with tour policy, preferring others to carry the load. Now he’s in his second year on the Player Advisory Council, and he sent a memo to players asking them to consider doing more with broadcast partners to improve the product.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have many passionate people tuning in to watch us every week, but let’s be honest — this game can feel a little distant at times,” Thomas said in the memo, first reported by The Athletic.

“The more I think about it, the more I feel us giving more access and insight can make a WORLD of difference.”

Thomas cited interviews before and during the round — CBS was the first to do a walk-and-talk at Torrey Pines with Max Homa two years ago — and anything else involving their game or equipment the networks might find appealing.

Thomas was part of the PAC’s subcommittee dealing with tournament, fans and sponsors last year, serving with Homa, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Schenk.

Sellers Shy, the lead golf producer for CBS, applauded Thomas for reaching out to players about more access. Jim Nantz, the lead announcer who is starting his 40th year with CBS, suggested the walk-and-talk could be expanded.

“We want their personalities to shine,” Nantz said.

Thomas did a walk-and-talk at Kapalua and jokingly chided Golf Channel for doing it on a part of the course where he had to walk uphill. Thomas said he was among those who initially resisted such an offer during a round.

“I’m not asking anybody to be somebody they aren’t or change anything in their routine that would affect their performance,” Thomas said in the memo. “Instead, just to be open to possibilities and changes.”

Financial context

Justin Thomas was runner-up at The American Express and earned $959,200, making him the 13th player in PGA Tour history to surpasses $60 million in career earnings.

That's to be expected given the rapid increase in prize money. Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele would appear certain to join the $60 million club by the end of the year, if not sooner.

For context, consider what the career earnings list looked like as Thomas was starting his rookie season in 2014-15.

Tiger Woods, then and now, leads the list at nearly $121 million. Phil Mickelson remains second to Woods — a theme in Lefty's career — at just over $96.6 million, though his earning opportunities are limited to the four majors now that he's with LIV Golf.

At the end of 2014, the next eight were Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, David Toms, Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott. Of those, only Furyk (No. 6), Singh (No. 7) and Scott (No. 8) remain among the top 10.

The newcomers — for now — are Rory McIlroy (No. 3), Dustin Johnson (No. 4) and Scottie Scheffler (No. 5). Scheffler was in his freshman year at Texas when Thomas was a rookie.

Thomas is now at No. 12 on the career list. Justin Leonard was No. 12 on the career earnings list when Thomas was a rookie 10 years ago. Leonard is now at No. 47.

Also worth noting: Woods didn't cross the $60 million mark until he won his 11th major in the 2006 British Open at Hoylake.

Lydia Ko gets her chance

The most creative team event in golf — the International Crown on the LPGA Tour — had been missing one of its biggest stars. Lydia Ko could finally get her chance this year.

The International Crown uses the world ranking to determine the four-member teams from eight countries. That left Ko out of the mix because she is the only woman from New Zealand from among the top 250 in the world.

That's about to change. The LPGA now is taking seven teams with the highest combined ranking of four players, along with a “world team.” That would be certain to include Ko, and perhaps Gaby Lopez of Mexico, another country without another player in the top 200.

The International Crown, held every two years, is scheduled for Oct. 23-26 in South Korea at the New Korea Country Club.

Players from only 10 countries have taken part since it began in 2014. The winning countries have been Spain, the United States, South Korea and Thailand.

The college kids

Florida State junior Luke Clanton and Auburn sophomore Jackson Koivun each have a mathematical chance to earn a PGA Tour card this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Both have 17 points in the PGA Tour University Accelerated program for undergraduates. They need 20 points to earn a card.

They can earn one point for making the cut and an additional point for a top-10 finish. And this year, the tour is awarding another point if they finish in the top 5. That would have helped Clanton last year. He was runner-up at the John Deere Classic and the RSM Classic, and he finished fifth at the Wyndham Championship. That additional point is not retroactive.

Clanton missed the cut in the Sony Open.

Koivun is making only his third PGA Tour start, with one cut made at the Memorial. He picked up 11 of his 17 points by winning prestigious college awards.

Getting to Augusta

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is turning Augusta Regional Airport into a regular stop the week of the Masters.

Delta is increasing seating capacity by 15%. Along with eight daily flights from Atlanta and two from New York's LaGuardia, the airline is offering daily flights from hubs in Minneapolis, Detroit and Boston. Flights will be available on Wednesday, Friday and Monday from Westchester, New York; Austin, Texas; Washington (Reagan) and New York's Kennedy Airport.

Delta is an official tournament partner of the Masters.

Divots

Tiger Woods has renewed his endorsement deal with Bridgestone to uses its golf ball. Woods first signed with Bridgestone at the end of 2016, although the Japanese-based company previously produced the Nike-branded golf balls he began using in 2000. ... Taylor Moore tied for seventh at The American Express and became the first player to finish a 72-hole PGA Tour event without a bogey and still not win since Joaquin Niemann at the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic. ... Two alternates who got in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, Garrick Higgo and Carl Yuan, began the week playing a Korn Ferry Tour event in the Bahamas, which started on Sunday. ... Mitsubishi Electric has signed a five-year extension as title sponsor of the PGA Tour Champions season opener on the Big Island of Hawaii. ... Longtime Scottish golf writer Lewine Mair has been voted recipient of the PGA of America Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism. Fred Vuich received the PGA's Lifetime Achievement Award for Photojournalism. Both will be honored the week of the Masters.

Stat of the week

Ernie Els now has won tournaments on four Hawaiian islands — Oahu (Sony Open in 2003 and 2004), Maui (Mercedes Championship in 2003), the Big Island (Mitsubishi Electric Championship in 2025) and Kauai (PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 1997).

Final word

“Sometimes you don’t realize how uncoordinated you are until you try brushing your teeth lefthanded.” — Scottie Scheffler, who is recovering from a puncture wound to his right hand.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf