(Photo by JUNG YEON-JE)

By Ryan Herrington

Justin Thomas is often referred to as the longest hitter, pound-for-pound, on the PGA Tour, having averaged 309.7 yards off the tee in 2017. In each of the last two seasons on tour, he has recorded a 400-plus yard drive. He added to that legend on Saturday at the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges, albeit with a little bit of luck.

There are tons of things to love about this clip. Let’s start with JT’s body language as he sees his ball sliding farther right than he wanted. Total weekend warrior.

Of course, this is followed by perhaps the biggest cart-path bounce ever recorded by ShotLink (or should have been recorded since there was no ShotLink and it usually doesn’t record cart-path bounces, but you get what we’re saying).

And then there’s the roll. I mean the thing just keeps going … and going … and going. It rolls so long and far, it nearly catches up to the group ahead of Thomas, which everyone assumed was well out of range when he hit the drive in the first place.

Final stats: 598-yard par-5 12th hole, JT hits it 461 yards, leaving himself a 137-yard approach.

Thomas made birdie, en route to his Saturday 70 that let him regain a share of the lead at Nine Bridges Golf Club. You have to wonder though it that actually was a little disappointing given the monster tee ball.