Alabama coach Nick Saban surprises PGA Tour golfer Justin Thomas at The Players Championship media day

Justin Thomas is hoping to defend The Players Championship next month at TPC Sawgrass. Luckily for Thomas, someone who knows all about title defense visited him at Wednesday’s course: Alabama football coach Nick Saban.

Saban surprised Thomas, an Alabama alum, by showing up at the course on media day and playing the final three holes with him. Through their time together, Saban has prepared Thomas for the 2022 Players’ Championship – which runs from 10-13 March – by giving “the same speech I gave to our team. ”

“When you win a championship, they say you have to defend”, Saban told PGATour.com. “You don’t have to make excuses. No one can take away what you did last year. Just have fun and do it again.

“There’s no such thing as defending a title in my opinion. If they took it away from you, things would be different. But you’ll always be the Player champion and you’ll always have taste. special position in the dressing room, so have fun and win again.”

Thomas would be wise to follow Saban’s advice, for he becomes the only one College football The coach led his team to consecutive national championships in the BCS and CFP eras in 2012.

The two first met when Thomas visited Saban’s office during a recruiting visit in Alabama. Saban described Thomas as a “shy little dog” at the time, but their relationship evolved after the coach practiced at the Crimson Tide golf course more often.

Now, Thomas attends an Alabama home game each year, and the two play golf together during the Crimson Tide season.

Thomas, 28, has not won a tournament since last year’s Players Championship. After his visit with Saban, he knew it was his duty to “have fun and win again.”

“It’s a special place and a great playground,” said Thomas, who ranked 23rd in the FedEx Cup rankings. “I have so many great memories here, but just because you’re excited doesn’t mean it’s going to be given to you. I have to get some work done and ready to try to defend.”