Look, we’ve all been there watching Justin Thomas over the past few years. Remember when this guy was the world’s number one golfer? Man, those were the days! Now, honestly, it’s been painful watching him struggle on the toughest courses. The fall from grace hits different when you remember his dominance. But here’s the thing – criticism apparently still gets under his skin.

Thomas just dropped what might be the most telling Instagram post of his recent career. “Might not be the tee time we wanted on a Saturday but it’s a tee time!” he wrote defiantly. “Proud of the way I played and finished out there today battling the rain. Looking forward to more birdies and less bogies this weekend @memorialgolf.” The tweet came after he made the cut at the Memorial Tournament after finishing at T50 after 36 holes, having shot 5 over par.

Now, Thomas rarely uses social media to make such statements. He mostly posts after he’s done with a tournament and reflects on his game. So what sparked this sudden need to defend himself publicly? The timing tells the whole story perfectly.

Just one day earlier, Fried Egg Golf’s Joseph LaMagna delivered a brutal assessment when he tweeted. The golf analyst didn’t hold back when discussing Thomas’s recent struggles. “Justin Thomas just isn’t a good enough driver of the golf ball to contend on demanding off-the-tee setups,” LaMagna declared bluntly. Furthermore, the analyst zeroed in on Thomas’s accuracy issues as his fundamental weakness.

That Instagram post? Absolutely a direct response to LaMagna’s criticism. Thomas emphasized battling through tough weather conditions at the demanding Muirfield Village. He specifically highlighted his mental toughness and determination to fight through adversity. The message screamed defiance against anyone questioning his abilities on challenging courses.

But here’s the thing: LaMagna’s critique didn’t come from nowhere. The analyst had been watching Thomas struggle repeatedly on golf’s toughest tests. Moreover, LaMagna referenced specific examples, such as Thomas’s ongoing issues on Augusta’s punishing 13th hole. During the 2025 Masters, Thomas managed just one birdie against three bogeys there.

The Memorial Tournament itself provided fresh ammunition for the analyst’s argument. Thomas opened with a disastrous 8-over-par 80, featuring multiple big numbers. His performance included four bogeys, one double bogey, and a crushing triple bogey. These struggles on Muirfield Village’s demanding layout perfectly illustrated LaMagna’s point about Thomas’s limitations.

This pattern reveals a deeper issue that extends far beyond one tournament. Therefore, examining Thomas’s broader struggles helps explain why LaMagna’s assessment resonated so strongly with golf observers.

Justin Thomas’s recent struggles sparked LaMagna’s critique

This pattern of poor performance in demanding venues extends well beyond Memorial. At the PGA Championship, Thomas missed the cut with disappointing 73-72 rounds. His driving accuracy of merely 46.43% proved LaMagna’s assessment correct. Meanwhile, Thomas found only 13 of 28 fairways across both rounds at Quail Hollow.

The statistics paint an even clearer picture of Thomas’s current struggles. His season-long driving accuracy ranks 111th on tour in 2025. Additionally, his strokes gained off the tee sit at a pedestrian 100th ranking. Conversely, easier venues reveal his true remaining talent. At Harbour Town’s RBC Heritage, Thomas won with vastly improved 64% driving accuracy.

Thomas’s defensive Instagram response reveals how deeply LaMagna’s words struck home. However, the overwhelming statistical evidence supports the analyst’s harsh assessment completely. Until Thomas fixes his accuracy off the tee, expect similar critiques to continue mounting. The former world number one faces increasing pressure to silence doubters on golf’s most unforgiving stages.