Justin Thomas plans to go through an individual training program to “become a better person” after being lifted, uttering a homophobic insult, when he missed a putt at a tournament in Hawaii this month.
Clothing brand Ralph Lauren ended its long-standing sponsorship with Thomas following the incident two weeks ago, which the 3rd-ranked American golfer described as “humiliating and embarrassing and not me.”
Thomas has spoken to his other sponsors – Titleist, FootJoy and global bank Citi are among those listed on its official website – and hopes they will stand by him as he seeks to educate himself and restore his reputation.
“It’s not a word I use,” Thomas said Wednesday, referring to the weakness he broke out when he missed a 5-foot well on the fourth hole of the Sentry Tournament of Champions, “but from certain reasons was there and that’s what I’m trying to figure out – why it was there.
“And, as I said, it will be part of this training process and program, whatever I should do, not just to prove to me, but to prove to my sponsors and to prove to people who I don’t know who they are this is not really the person you are. ”
Ralph Lauren, who has sponsored Thomas since he became a professional, said he was “discouraged” by his language and decided to end his association with the player because of his responsibility to stakeholders.
Speaking from the Abu Dhabi Championship, where he will play this week in a rare appearance at the European Tournament, Thomas said he is upset, but he respected Ralph Lauren’s decision.
“I talked to them, along with all my sponsors, and although I apologized, as it was then, it is an opportunity for me to grow and I felt it was something we could have done together and we went through. that process, “he said. . “They felt they had to move on, so that’s exactly what I’m doing.
“I was not disappointed,” added Thomas, “because I put them in a terrible position. I was just more upset. We had an excellent relationship with many people there and, as I said, we had the opportunity to do everything together. ”
Pushed into the training program he plans to pursue, Thomas said he would keep it “on a personal level.”
“Obviously people will be part of this process,” he said. “But what I do I would like to keep internally and take the appropriate steps to get where I need to be and I want to be, so that people understand that this is not the person I am, the character I like to portray. ”
The Abu Dhabi Championship starts on Thursday and is Thomas’ first event since the Kapalua incident. He will play 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 with Thomas for the first two rounds at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and the issue is not expected to affect the American’s game
“It may not be as ignorant to offend people – obviously, which he said is offensive to a large part of the population,” McIlroy said. “He will be better for it, he will learn, he will go further and he will be a golfer as good as ever.
“And if there’s anything, a person will make him better than he already is, which is hard because he’s already a great guy.”