Career Timeline of Justin Thomas: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Justin Thomas, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Justin Thomas is a highly accomplished American professional golfer currently playing on the PGA Tour. He reached world number one status and had a breakout year in 2017, winning five PGA Tour events and the FedEx Cup. His major championship victories include the PGA Championship in both 2017 and 2022, solidifying his position as one of the top players in the sport.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1960: Comparison to Golfing Legends

At the Dell Technologies Championship, Thomas became the fourth golfer since 1960 to win five times in a PGA Tour season, including a major, before his 25th birthday, joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Jordan Spieth.

August 2009: Wyndham Championship Appearance

In August 2009, prior to his junior year in high school, Thomas played in the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour, becoming the third-youngest player to make the cut in a PGA Tour event at 16 years, 3 months and 24 days old.

2013: Turning Professional

In 2013, Thomas turned professional, forgoing his final two years of college, and earned his tour card on the Web.com Tour through qualifying school.

2013: National Championship Team

In 2013, Thomas was a member of the national championship team while playing college golf at the University of Alabama.

2014: First Professional Win

In 2014, Thomas secured his first professional event win at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship. He also finished fifth in the Web.com Tour regular season and third after the Web.com Tour Finals.

November 1, 2015: First PGA Tour Victory

On November 1, 2015, Thomas achieved his first PGA Tour victory by winning the CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by a single stroke over Adam Scott. He shot a course-record 61 during the second round.

2015: PGA Tour Debut and Top Finishes

In 2015, Thomas collected seven top-10s and 15 top-25s, with fourth-place finishes at the Quicken Loans National and Sanderson Farms Championship. He finished 32nd at the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup.

October 2016: CIMB Classic Title Defense

In October 2016, Thomas successfully defended his title at the CIMB Classic, marking his second tour win.

January 2017: SBS Tournament of Champions and Sony Open Win

In January 2017, Thomas won the SBS Tournament of Champions, securing his third PGA Tour win. The following week at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Thomas became the seventh player in PGA Tour history to shoot a 59, also becoming the youngest to do so. He won the tournament by 7 strokes, setting multiple tournament and PGA Tour records.

August 2017: PGA Championship Win

In August 2017, Thomas won his first major, the PGA Championship, by two shots.

September 24, 2017: FedEx Cup Champion

On September 24, 2017, after finishing runner-up at the Tour Championship to Xander Schauffele, Thomas became the FedEx Cup champion.

October 2017: CJ Cup Victory

In October 2017, Thomas won the CJ Cup in South Korea, defeating Marc Leishman in a playoff. This marked his seventh PGA Tour victory.

2017: U.S. Open Record

During the third round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills, Thomas equaled the U.S. Open single-round record of 63. He finished in a tie for ninth place.

February 2018: The Honda Classic Victory

In February 2018, Thomas secured his eighth tour win at The Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, defeating Luke List in a playoff. This victory elevated Thomas to the top of the FedEx Cup standings and number three in the world rankings.

May 2018: World Number One

In May 2018, Thomas achieved the rank of world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, becoming the 21st player to do so.

September 2018: Ryder Cup Participation

In September 2018, Thomas participated in the Ryder Cup as part of the U.S. team, which was defeated by Europe 17 1/2 to 10 1/2. Despite the loss, Thomas achieved a personal record of 4–1–0 and won his singles match against Rory McIlroy.

2018: Ascension to World Number One

In 2018, following the Players Championship, Thomas achieved the world number one ranking. However, he lost the ranking after four weeks when Johnson won the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

February 17, 2019: Genesis Open

On February 17, 2019, Thomas led the Genesis Open entering the final round. He finished second to J. B. Holmes after shooting a 75 in gusty conditions, including a four-putt for a double bogey.

August 18, 2019: BMW Championship Victory

On August 18, 2019, Thomas won the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club outside of Chicago, shooting 25-under-par. This victory put Thomas in the lead in the FedEx Cup standings heading into the Tour Championship.

October 20, 2019: Second CJ Cup Win

On October 20, 2019, Thomas won the CJ Cup in South Korea, marking his second victory at the tournament in its three-year existence.

December 2019: Presidents Cup Participation

In December 2019, Thomas played on the U.S. team at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia. The U.S. team won 16–14 and Thomas went 3–1–1, losing his singles match against Cameron Smith.

2019: Skin Cancer Diagnosis

In 2019, Thomas revealed that he was diagnosed with a form of skin cancer and underwent surgery to remove a melanoma from his leg. Since then, he has advocated for sun safety and regular dermatology checkups.

January 5, 2020: Sentry Tournament of Champions Victory

On January 5, 2020, Thomas won the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua Resort in Maui, Hawaii for the second time, prevailing in a playoff against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed.

August 2, 2020: WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational Win

On August 2, 2020, Thomas won the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind in Tennessee, marking his 13th career victory on the PGA Tour. Thomas also rose to Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking for the second time in his career.

March 2021: Players Championship Victory

In March 2021, Thomas won the 2021 Players Championship by one stroke over Lee Westwood, shooting a final round four-under par 68.

September 2021: Ryder Cup Win

In September 2021, Thomas played on the U.S. team in the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. The U.S. team won 19–9 and Thomas went 2–1–1 and won his Sunday singles match against Tyrrell Hatton.

2021: Caddie Change

For the 2021–22 season, Thomas hired Jim "Bones" Mackay to replace Jimmy Johnson as his caddie. Mackay stepped into the role at the CJ Cup after Johnson's last round caddying for Thomas at the 2021 Ryder Cup.

May 22, 2022: Second PGA Championship Win

On May 22, 2022, Thomas won his second major and second PGA Championship, defeating Will Zalatoris in a playoff after overcoming a PGA Championship record 7-shot deficit entering the day.

2022: PGA Championship Victory

In 2022, Thomas won his second major golf championship, securing the PGA Championship.

2022: Last Win before RBC Heritage

In April 2025, Thomas won the RBC Heritage, which was his first win since the 2022 PGA Championship.

2022: Presidents Cup

Thomas qualified for the U.S. team at the 2022 Presidents Cup; he won all four matches paired with Jordan Spieth but lost in the singles.

September 2023: Ryder Cup Participation

In September 2023, Thomas played on the U.S. team in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia, Rome, Italy. The European team won 16.5–11.5 and Thomas went 1–2–1, including a win in his Sunday singles match against Sepp Straka.

November 2023: Netflix Cup Win

In November 2023, Thomas competed in the inaugural Netflix Cup, a live sports broadcast on Netflix. Thomas and Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr. won the event after Thomas won the "Closest to the Pin" style playoff.