For someone who thrives on precision, Justin Thomas is learning to embrace unpredictability. The 2-time PGA Championship winner, Thomas, is feared for his sharp iron play and fierce competitiveness. A heads-on approach, one might say. But at home, he has an 8-month-old, who doesn’t care about these things. Which brings a different set of challenges for the pro.
The American is enjoying an impressive 2025 season so far. He broke a nearly three-year winless streak by clinching a thrilling victory at the RBC Heritage in April. He won with a 21-foot birdie putt in a playoff, bringing his career PGA Tour wins to 16. Thomas registered 7 top-10 finishes, including ones at the Travelers Championship and Phoenix Open, and currently sits at No. 4 in the OWGR. Oh, and he also made a surprise cameo in Happy Gilmore 2! So yeah, it’s been a pretty incredible year.
To add to that, Justin Thomas is now also a dad. And fatherhood, as he puts it in a video posted on WLKY News Louisville’s YouTube channel, has been ‘challenging’.
“Yes, the fathering has been great, but always challenging.“
Since the 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 of his daughter, Molly, Thomas has been figuring out the balance. “It’s the. an adjustment, like anything in life.” Both he and his wife, Jill, have been scheduling their day well in advance in order to manage time.
“The biggest change is time management, it’s just more efficient practice and more mapping the day out a little bit more precisely than when we were 23 or 24, when you just wake up and see what the day holds, but it’ll be great.”
Recently, the 32-year-old showed up at Hurstbourne, Kentucky, for the inauguration of Panther Park, a playground for 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren of all abilities. Built with support from the Justin Thomas Foundation, it marked a significant milestone. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Thomas began his speech, but Molly had some other ideas.
“(I’m) Honored to be involved, and it’s a very, very special project. And thank you all for being here. This is an unbelievable turnout. And hopefully everybody enjoys it.”
In a heart-warming moment, Molly tried to take the mic from her father’s hand! “Oh, you want to say a couple of things, Molly?” Thomas said while directing the mic towards her.
Moments like these are new territory for Thomas. But he’s not figuring it out alone. As he adjusts to life on the PGA Tour with a 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 in tow, there are many whom he can lean on when it comes to fatherhood wisdom.
What PGA Tour dads are saying about Fatherhood
When Justin Thomas became a dad in November 2024, he was stepping into uncharted territory. Nothing that being in golf prepares you. But luckily, the PGA Tour is full of players who’ve been there.
Tiger Woods was one of the first to reach out. He called Thomas the night before Molly was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 just to check in on Jillian. Since then, he’s been quietly sharing the kind of wisdom only Tiger can: take the time to travel with your family when you can, and remember that being a competitor is great, but the love you have for your kid will always mean more.
Others on tour, like Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns, have opened up publicly about their transitions into fatherhood. When Scheffler became a dad in May 2024, he spoke about how the experience “far exceeded” his expectations. He emphasised the importance of being honest about the messy emotions that come with it.
Burns, who welcomed his son Bear just a month before Scheffler, said his days at home now look completely different. He’s opened up about missing his family while on tour, but cherishes the return to diaper duty and backyard play with his son. For Burns, home life with his wife and 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 has become more meaningful than any win on the course.
With voices like these, Thomas can learn from the best. And this is going to make all the difference, both on and off the course.
Do you have any advice for Justin Thomas? Do let us know in the comments below.
