If you had Justin Thomas following retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer as a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday night on your Bingo card, you win by default.
But such was the case as the two-time winner of the PGA Championship appeared on the late-night talk show from New York City (he also hit up the Knicks game at Madison Square Garden with his wife and enjoyed floor seats) and told one heckuva story about that time he played a money match at age 15 with NBA great Michael Jordan.
“MJ used to,” Thomas began.
“Oh, MJ,” Colbert interjected.
“I feel like there’s a handful of people in the world that you can call them by their nickname and everyone knows who that is and I’m putting MJ in that category,” Thomas said.
“Sure, Michael Jackson,” Colbert deadpanned.
“Yeah, good point,” Thomas said.
On to the story in which Thomas began recalling how Jordan would always come to the Kentucky Derby and want to play golf. Jordan would ring up former NBA pro Junior Bridgeman to set up a game at the course where Thomas’s father, Mike, was the head professional, near Louisville.
The first couple of years Thomas served as a caddie in the group, but in the third year Jordan told Thomas, who he called Little Man, to go get his clubs so he could play the last seven holes as his partner.
“He knew I played golf but he didn’t know that I was decent and nobody else definitely had any idea,” Thomas said.
Colbert asked if he put any pressure on him. “No, I just felt pressure playing with Michael Jordan. He was like, ‘Alright, I’ve got him.’ ”
How did Thomas do, Colbert wondered?
“I made four birdies in seven holes and helped pay for my first car,” Thomas said.
That led to Colbert questioning about the stakes.
“I didn’t know the amount,” Thomas said. “He said to everybody don’t tell him what we’re playing for because he might…”
“Freak out,” Colbert interjected.
“Sure, something like that,” Thomas said. “I won 3-4 grand. The assistant at the time was helping get stuff together and everyone came in from 36 holes and my dad’s like giving me a hard time. ‘You need to tip him.’ I’m like, ‘Tip who?’ He said, ‘Matt, the assistant.’ ”
All Thomas had was $100 bills from winning his match so he gave him one.
“My dad was like, ‘I can believe you just tipped him $100.’ That’s all I had,” Thomas said.
JT, what a legend.
