I hope Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson doesn’t get as sentimental on making his selection as Ron Green is (“Justin Thomas deserves a spot on Ryder Cup team,” Aug. 21 GGP). It would deprive the U.S. team from the intensity, pride and great playing form of a player such as Lucas Glover or Keegan Bradley. They may not be crowd favorites, but they deserve to be there for all the right reasons, unlike Justin Thomas (whom I like a lot but will need to suck it up and work at growing stronger from his current struggles).
Gil Godin
Haverford, Pennsylvania
I don’t think Justin Thomas should represent the United States in this year’s Ryder Cup (“Justin Thomas deserves a spot on Ryder Cup team,” Aug. 21 GGP).
In the last 2½ years, Thomas has been caught on mic using a word that is offensive, especially to the LGBTQ+ community. It was deemed so offensive that Ralph Lauren/Polo immediately terminated its relationship with him. Citibank reportedly also changed but did not sever its relationship with him. At last December's PNC Championship parent/child tournament, he was part of a tasteless stunt with Tiger Woods that denigrated women.
Sports announcers have been reprimanded and, in some cases, fired for similar comments. The PGA Tour is taking significant blowback for its proposed alliance with the Saudis. Tour players, especially those who think they should be compensated for not having signed with LIV Golf, are being painted as greedy in a time when working people are struggling. The PGA of America, which represents working club professionals, needs to show some respect for the professionals whom it represents, and the public those professionals serve, and tell their selected Ryder Cup captain not to select Justin Thomas.
RL/Polo and Citibank ending or reducing their arrangements with Thomas only cost him money. To him that’s probably a little more than walking-around money. But if you really want to punish him where it hurts, keep him off this Ryder Cup team.
Charlie Jurgonis
Fairfax, Virginia
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