OPINION: Justin Thomas’s Apology Was Good But Not Enough

Just over a week ago is when I levied my counterpoint to our Jeremy Duran & Riley Hamel’s The Style Guys in which they were shocked and dismayed regarding Justin Thomas losing a big sponsor, and why I feel JT fired himself from his Ralph Lauren deal, and not vice versa.

Justin Thomas’s dropping of a six-letter epithet used against LGBTQ+ persons was heard around the golf and sports world. Given what happened with sponsors jumping ship when fellow Tour player Scott Piercy fired off a few homophobic and conspiracy filled social media posts surrounding former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop with Justin.

Ralph Lauren Polo. Titleist. FootJoy.  NetJets. Woodford Reserve. Troon. Beats by Dre.

That’s an impressive list of companies who could’ve all just said no mas, Justin. Ralph Lauren pulled their money. I’m sure every company had to have a big talk internally with their teams and with Justin and his people as well.

And then Citi came forth and possibly changed the game with sponsorship ties, because in my opinion Justin Thomas honestly and meaningfully changed the narrative from the jump.

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Carla Hassan is the Chief Marketing Officer at Citi, and she flat out says we really thought we were just going to turn our backs and walk, but they didn’t. Why? I honestly believe it’s because Justin admitted it, owned it, made no excuse for it, and accepted any fate he had coming for saying what he said.

In the end, Citi has decided to retain Thomas on their sponsored roster with several big caveats:

• Justin must donate a significant portion of their dollars to LGBTQ+ causes that are reviewed and mutually agreed upon.
• Thomas must also work with Citi to increase awareness of anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech and more, while striving to help end it through education and awareness.

As to be expected, Citi and Hassan are taking hits over this. Many who are LGBTQ+ and advocates believe firing was the only option while many from the right side of the aisle are screaming cancel culture nonsense (which this can’t be as Thomas’s deal wasn’t canceled by Citi). But I have to give them credit for thinking outside the “normal athlete sponsorship, massive celebrity fail, oh my Lord, what do we do now?” box in their handling of the situation.

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Justin Thomas apologized in genuine fashion with no excuses, and I believe his apology was and is legit. I still don’t buy Thomas’s assertion that the word he blurted out isn’t one he ever uses as no one keeps a word like that on the tip of their tongue unless it’s a normal utterance. Citi said we’ll back you but no exceptions, and you really have to work with us, pal. 

Even if I would’ve done differently if I was a sponsor, I have to give them both an actual golf clap in salute. But I truly believe the sincerity of his apology and maybe this situation created a better path forward and true measuring stick for when a terrible situation is created and must be dealt with.

And for the record, given my appreciation for bourbon (whether over a couple of cubes or in my favorite cocktail, the highball) and the celebration bottle of their Double Oaked in my possession that I’m preparing to enjoy, I could stand a sponsorship from the fine folks at Woodford Reserve as well. Just sayin.

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