Thomas takes center stage at final PGA event of season

LOS ANGELES: Justin Thomas is the only top 10 player in the field and a heavy favorite to win the Mayakoba Golf Classic, the final event of the USPGA Tour’s 2020 season.

World No. 3 Thomas became the frontrunner when Dustin Johnson, who is ranked No. 1, decided not to take part in the event at El Camaleon Golf Club.

Thomas, who has two wins in 2020, is coming off a fourth place finish at the Masters and has five straight top-15 finishes.

When he looks back at his year, Thomas likes what he sees but says it could have been even better.

“I was, you know, probably four or five rounds away from having another historic year, but it doesn’t mean that can’t happen next year,” he said.

“I still see no reason why someone can’t win eight, nine, 10, 11 times in a season. I know it’s not likely and a lot of people (think) it probably can’t happen. But, like I said, I was a couple rounds away in a short season from winning five or six times.”

One of Thomas’s biggest challengers will be four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, who is coming off another injury break. Koepka finished runner-up to Thomas at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

Former winner Harris English is also in the field. English has played solid golf this season finishing in the top 20 in 12 of his last 17 tournaments. He placed solo fifth at this event last year.

Daniel Berger has also been a consistent player in 2020. Berger, who did not qualify for the Masters, has placed in the top 10 in seven of his last nine events.

The Mayakoba has been like a second home for 44-year-old Pat Perez. A long-time regular in this tournament, he won in 2016 for one of his three career victories.

The home country favorite is Mexico’s Abraham Ancer who is coming off a strong performance in the Masters. Ancer is seeking to win in his home country for the first time. Americans Tony Finau and Rickie Fowler are also in the field.