Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we’re finally teeing it up this weekend in the Midwest. Fore!
Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.
Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.
With his win at Harbour Town, Justin Thomas now has 16 PGA Tour victories, good for 54th all-time. Dustin Johnson is next among active players with 24 wins (T27 all-time). Thomas will eventually catch and pass Johnson.
Bob Harig: FACT. It won’t be easy, but Thomas has too many years ahead of him, too much good golf in him, to not win nine more times and get to 25 wins. It is a rare feat these days to win that many times but Thomas is more than capable.
Jeff Ritter: FACT. Ending his drought that extended nearly three years should give JT a lift in the near-term, just as we expect it will with McIlroy and the majors. Nine wins for the rest of his career seems very much within range.
John Schwarb: FACT. So we’re ruling out DJ coming back to the PGA Tour someday, winning and making it just a little harder for JT? We kid. If these past three years turn out to be the biggest slump of his career, he’ll absolutely get to 25 wins.
Rory McIlroy is now the betting favorite in two of the remaining three majors. But world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will reestablish his standing by winning his next major before McIlroy does.
Bob Harig: FICTION. Quail Hollow has been a venue that Scheffler has skipped and it’s well suited for Rory. It’s quite possible McIlroy gets another one before Scheffler, who if he doesn’t win the U.S. Open at Oakmont, could also see Rory beat him out at Royal Portrush.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. This really is set up to be Summer of Rory. He’s rightly the favorite at Quail Hollow, where he’s won four times, and his power game should play well at Oakmont. Then it’s a homecoming at Portrush.
John Schwarb: FICTION. I picked McIlroy months ago to win at his beloved Quail Hollow so that’s that, but looking forward to seeing how Scheffler’s pinpoint ball striking plays at Oakmont. Could we finally get a showdown between golf’s best?
This week’s Tour stop is the Zurich Classic, the two-man team event. The PGA Tour should have more than one of these every year on its regular-season schedule.
Bob Harig: FACT. Why not a team event in the fall that uses a different format? There’s nothing wrong with varying things from time to time.
Jeff Ritter: FACT. Bob is right on this one: Fall season could use more experimentation with formats, and another team event would fit right in there.
John Schwarb: FACT. Maybe a second one would bring out more stars, the Zurich is in a brutal spot on the schedule in that regard.
The RBC Heritage is one of two no-cut signature events played right after a major (the Travelers Championship is after the U.S. Open). Signature events aren’t ideal for building momentum right after majors.
Bob Harig: FACT. Everyone, including the players, wants a break after the Masters and to some degree the U.S. Open. Both the Heritage and the Travelers enjoyed great success with their dates as regular events following majors. Would they be hurt if a signature event followed? Probably. Perhaps this suggests a re-think on the number of signature events.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. If a player is fried after the Masters they can always skip the Heritage. But last year Scheffler went back-to-back at Augusta at Hilton Head en route to an incredible season, so I think stacking events with elite fields also has its benefits.
John Schwarb: FACT. Just seems like too much of a gimme for the Tour’s best to come out of a major and get the free money that is no-cut signature golf. Momentum can be had—look at the TV ratings from Thomas’s win—but I’d rather see traditional stroke play coming out of a major.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fact or Fiction: Justin Thomas Will Climb Much Higher on the Career Wins List.