Justin Thomas laments PGA Tour return at Arnold Palmer: 'It sucks'

The two-time major winner struggled in his 2026 debut, shooting a 7-over 79 at Bay Hill.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Justin Thomas, a two-time major champion, made his 2026 PGA Tour debut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday, but things did not go well. Thomas shot a 7-over 79, which included six bogeys and two double-bogeys, and is currently tied for last place. Afterwards, Thomas did not hold back, saying 'It kinda sucks, to be honest' and admitting he had trouble with his concentration and putting.

Why it matters

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of the PGA Tour's signature events, and Thomas was expected to be a contender. His poor opening round performance raises questions about his form and readiness for the new season, especially with the 36-hole cut looming.

The details

Thomas struggled throughout his round, unable to find any consistency. He cited the 'rust aspect' and difficulty gauging the speed of the greens as factors in his poor play. Thomas will need to turn things around quickly in Friday's second round if he hopes to make the cut and play the weekend.

  • Thomas teed off on Thursday, March 6, 2026.
  • The second round will take place on Friday, March 7, 2026, with Thomas going out in the early wave at 7:30 am ET.

The players

Justin Thomas

A two-time major champion and one of the top golfers on the PGA Tour, Thomas is making his 2026 debut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Scottie Scheffler

The current World No. 1 golfer, Scheffler is among the top players in the field at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Rory McIlroy

Another top player on the PGA Tour, McIlroy is also competing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week.

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What they’re saying

“It kinda sucks, to be honest. Obviously not how I expected it to go. But the rust aspect, kind of unfortunately, was a little bit of what I anticipated.”

— Justin Thomas (clutchpoints.com)

“I putted terrible today. I had a hard time gauging the speed. But just a lot of little stuff. I could not keep my concentration for the life of me on the back nine. I just had a couple times I had to back off because I just would kind of walk into the shot and have no idea what I was even trying to do.”

— Justin Thomas (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

Thomas will need to shoot a low score in Friday's second round to make the cut and play the weekend at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The takeaway

Justin Thomas' struggles in his 2026 debut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational raise concerns about his form and readiness for the new season, especially with the 36-hole cut looming. The two-time major champion will need to quickly shake off the rust and find his game if he hopes to contend this week.