Thomas targets Players history at 'special' Sawgrass

Justin Thomas is relishing the opportunity to create PGA Tour history at The Players, a year on from storming to an impressive victory at TPC Sawgrass.

Thomas produced a brilliant display to overturn a seven-stroke deficit over the weekend and win the PGA Tour's flagship event last March, posting rounds of 64 and 68 to finish a shot clear of veteran Lee Westwood.

The 14-time PGA Tour winner is without a victory since last year's success, but arrives in Florida off the back of five top-eight finishes in his last six worldwide starts, with Thomas now bidding to become the first player to successfully defend their title at The Players.

"I'm definitely hoping to change that!" Thomas told Sky Sports. "I think there's a lot of reasons why it's tough to defend. It's just really hard to win a golf tournament and it's obviously hard to win back-to-back at a place like this!

"I was fortunate enough to have a chance to win after a great round on Saturday. That was our first true event in a long time with a lot of fans. You could feel the energy and the atmosphere and I loved that, so that's obviously an amazing memory for me."

Few would have anticipated Thomas mounting a serious title challenge after starting the week with back-to-back 71s, only to jump into contention with a round-of-the-day performance during the third round.

Thomas went into the final day three strokes behind Westwood and struggled during his front nine, with the American crediting his patience after an inspired stretch around the turn helped him to victory.

"I was playing really well at the start out, I just couldn't make anything," Thomas added. "I was hitting a lot of good putts, but they were just burning edges.

"It's frustrating because when it happens on