Justin Thomas intends to go through an individual training program to “become a better person” after he was picked last month by uttering a homophobic insult when he missed a putt in a tournament in Hawaii.
Clothing brand Ralph Lauren ended its long-standing sponsorship with Thomas after the incident two weeks ago, which the No. 3 American golfer described as “humiliating and embarrassing and it’s not me.”
Thomas has spoken to his other sponsors – Titleist, FootJoy and global bank Citi are some of those listed on its official website – and hopes to keep him by his side as he seeks to educate himself and restore his reputation.
“I don’t use a word,” Thomas said Wednesday, referring to the joke that erupted when he missed a 5-foot putt in the fourth hole of the Sentry Tournament of Champions, “but for some reason it was there and that’s the that I try to figure out: why he was in there.
“And as I said, it will be part of this training process and program, whatever I have to do, not just to prove it to myself, but to prove it to my sponsors and prove it to people who don’t know who I am is not who I am. “
Ralph Lauren, who has sponsored Thomas since he became a professional, said he was “discouraged” by his language and made the decision to end his association with the player because of his responsibility to his teammates. interest.
Speaking of the Abu Dhabi Championship, where he will play this week in a rare appearance on the European Tour, Thomas said he was upset but respected Ralph Lauren’s decision.
“I talked to them, along with all my sponsors, and even though I apologized, just as I was then, it was an opportunity for me to grow up and I felt it was something we could have done together and passed. this process, ”he said. . “They just felt like they needed to move on, so that’s exactly what I’m also doing.
“I wasn’t disappointed,” Thomas added, “because I put them in a terrible situation. I was more upset. I had a great relationship with a lot of people there and, like I said, we had a chance to do it all. together “.
Undertaking the training program he intends to pursue, Thomas said he would keep it “on a personal level.”
“Obviously, people will be part of that process,” he said. “But what I’m doing I’d like to keep him internally and follow the right steps to get where I need to be and I want to be, so that people understand that he’s not the person I am, the character I like to represent . ”
The Abu Dhabi Championship starts on Thursday and is Thomas ’first event since the Kapalua incident. He will take part in the tournament for the first time in what will be only his fourth start in a regular European Tour event.
Rory McIlroy will play in the same group as Thomas during the first two rounds at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and does not expect the issue to affect the Americans ’game.
“He may not be so ignorant of offending people, obviously what he said was offensive to a large part of the population,” McIlroy said. “He will be better for it, he will learn, he will keep going and he will be a golfer as good as ever.
“And if he does, he’ll make him a better person than he already is, which is difficult because he’s already a fantastic guy.”