“I just want to be there as a friend”: Justin Thomas reacts after being asked about Tiger Woods’ potential return

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods are great friends and that is known to the entire golf fraternity.

Before the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship, Thomas spoke with the media. As per Golf Magic, when he was asked about Woods' potential return to golf, he said:

"I haven't really felt that out. I mean, my... I don't want to say my role or my job, it's just me wanting to be a friend is just checking in on him and see how he's doing. I don't want to be a week after surgery and say, hey, man, when do you think you're going to tee it up again?"

Justin Thomas added that he wants to be with Tiger Woods as a friend and will not ask him when he is coming back. He said:

"No offense, but that's y'all's job to ask that question, not me. I just want to be there as a friend and make sure he's doing all right. If I can do anything for him or the family, that's just what I want to do. Whenever that time's right to go more into it, we can, but I'm not too worried about that now."

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods at the 2023 Masters (via Getty Images)

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"He was loyal to Tiger"- Justin Thomas on Tiger Woods's caddie Joe LaCava who recently parted ways

Before the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship, Justin Thomas was asked about his views on Joe LaCava parting ways with the five-time major champion Tiger Woods. He said:

"Yeah, I mean, the thing about Joe is he's... I mean, he's as loyal as loyal gets. The amount of time that he spent, yeah, at home when guys would... I mean, there's so many guys out here that would have him caddie in an instant."

Thomas was quite confident that Tiger Woods would have convinced LaCava to caddie for other golfers and work full season. He said,

"When he was loyal to Tiger and Tiger's probably telling him go caddie, go do whatever, and Joe, that's just not the kind of guy Joe is."

Justin Thomas lauded Joe LaCava and felt that it was the right decision to work beyond his former associate:

"But at the same time, very similar to Bones, he's competitive and he's a caddie. I mean, they love to caddie and they love to win golf tournaments and they love being in that moment. I'm sure that weighed into his decision as well."

Thomas was asked if he knew the details about the split, and he said that he does not know anything. But Justin Thomas was sure that Tiger Woods would have been okay with Joe LaCava moving on:

"Obviously I don't know the details and don't know how long it is or what's going on, but I know that that's something that would never ever, ever be done if Tiger would not OK that."

Justin Thomas concluded that he knows Joe LaCava and that he is competitive and said:

"That's not the kind of guy Joe is, kind of guy Tiger is and same with Patrick. There definitely was some kind of conversation that went on there. Yeah, I know Joe and I know he's competitive."

Tiger Woods' 12-year-long caddie Joe LaCava recently parted ways with the legendary golfer. LaCava is currently caddying PGA golfer Patrick Cantlay.