Thomas is back home to host Justin Thomas Junior Championship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Former St. X star Justin Thomas is back home this week, hosting the seventh Justin Thomas Junior Championship as part of the American Junior Golf Association tour.

“Whether it’s getting geared up ready to go to college or trying to get that college exposure or just trying to make a name for themselves, I mean it starts at a very young age now and these kids are in the thick of it and it’s really cool to be here and watch it,” Thomas said on Tuesday.

He signed autographs and took pictures with players and sponsors at Harmony Landing Country Club. It’s the course where his father, Mike, was the head golf professional, and where Justin spent hours on the practice range.

“I’d say the 2000 PGA was a huge part of my drive and want to, I mean I wanted to be a golfer, but I think being there first hand at a major, and just witnessing history at the time, and Tiger, and just hearing the roars and being fortunate enough to probably have some access due to the PGA and my dad, it motivated me and I was only seven-years-old,” Thomas remembered. “Going through that and knowing that it all started somewhere and that somewhere being here is awesome.”

Thomas became just the 84th golfer to win two Major Championships when he claimed his second PGA Championship at Southern Hills Golf Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma in May. Impressive and new company for Thomas, considering 220 men have won at least one major.

“I’d be very disappointed if I ended my career with two,” he admitted. “I feel like I have a lot of really good golf ahead of me and a lot of opportunities to hopefully win more and I’m just gonna keep pressing, keep practicing, trying, so next time I come to this event hopefully I have another major or two under my belt.”

He’ll have four chances in 2023 and the 2024 Masters before teeing it up at Valhalla Golf Club in May of 2024.

“I’m very excited,” Thomas said. “I joked with someone earlier, it’s probably going to be a good week to change my number at the beginning of the week. I’m very excited but I’m also going to have to put a lot of things aside and it is a major championship, and it is going to be the PGA, and my main priority is going to be trying to play well and win the golf tournament. I’m looking forward to trying to do it in front of some of my favorite people in the world.”

Thomas will cap off 2022 by getting married in November.