Justin Thomas has become very close friends with Tiger Woods over the past decade or so.

Like most golfers from his generation, Thomas idolized Woods when he was a young boy=

In fact, it’s fair to argue that if it wasn’t for Woods, golf would be nowhere near as popular as it is today.

Woods burst onto the PGA Tour scene in the mid-1990s and the excitement that he generated saw interest in the game and tournament prize money explode beyond all recognition.

Players like Thomas have benefited greatly from the 15-time major champion’s transformative impact on the professional game.

Thomas recently backed Woods to become the next US Ryder Cup captain, due to his remarkable record in the game throughout the years.

The 50-year-old is an almost God-like figure amongst his peers on the PGA Tour.

So, given the fact that he has always been a huge supporter of the meritocratic nature of the PGA Tour, how does Thomas feel about Woods potentially being given sponsors exemptions when he returns to action?

Justin Thomas shares his opinion on Tiger Woods receiving sponsor exemptions

The two-time major champion was speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the start of the Valspar Championship on Thursday.

Thomas was asked whether he was stressed out during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, when he wasn’t qualified for the Signature Events.

“Yeah, it was extremely stressful,“ the 32-year-old admitted.

“But also I’m extremely proud of the fact that I, it was a big deal for me that I didn’t have to rely on one exemption that year. I played my way into all of them. That was a big goal of mine. Because, first off, I hated having to ask, but I did ask. It’s like I’m not shameful or like above that. I mean, I want to be playing in these tournaments.

“And, you know, the majority of tournaments, they were graceful and saying that, yes, if you need it, we’ll have one. But I didn’t get exemptions into some. So knowing that I needed to play into them was comforting, but also good for me. It’s tough, man, because I understand the argument of, you know, giving it to the same guys, whatever.

“But how are you going to tell the company that’s putting up 15, 20 million dollars that they can’t have someone in the tournament because they feel like it’s better for the ratings and better for their ticket sales and better for the event in general.

“That’s a hard one for me to — I see both sides a hundred percent on that. But I just think that sponsor exemptions are part of — I mean, it’s a massive part.

“What, are you going to tell Tiger Woods he can’t play if he wants to play? Like, I’m sorry, but you’re an idiot if you think that. Like, he needs to play in whatever he wants to play in, and that’s better for the golf tournament and the game of golf.

“So it’s a tough one to perfect, but we’re working on it, I guess.“

That is a genuinely fascinating answer from Thomas.

Tiger Woods deserves special treatment

Sponsors of huge events obviously want the very biggest names in the game to be in the field.

However, Brian Rolapp has repeated on numerous occasions that the PGA Tour is built around its meritocratic foundations.

It’s a tough one to debate when it comes to Tiger Woods.

Perhaps he deserves to be treated differently to everyone else, given what he has done for the game in general.

Interestingly, this year was the last year that Woods was exempt to compete in The Players Championship.

The 82-time PGA Tour winner wasn’t fit enough to play at TPC Sawgrass, and it will be very interesting to see what happens next year, if his body is ready to go.

In every single sport, there are rare talents that come around every so often who deserve to be treated differently to everyone else, due to what they give to the game in return.

Woods is one of those and there should never come a time when he wants to play in an event but is refused entry.