Nick Saban surprises Justin Thomas at THE PLAYERS media day

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Nick Saban has faced plenty of formidable opponents throughout his famed career. He took on a new one Wednesday.

Saban played the tricky closing trio of holes at TPC Sawgrass as part of Justin Thomas’ return to the Stadium Course for a media day before his title defense in two weeks. Thomas was surprised when his golf cart rounded a hill and he saw Saban and his University of Alabama golf bag, with ‘Coach Nick Saban’ stitched on the pocket, waiting on the tee.

“I can’t believe you got this guy away from recruiting long enough to come here,” Thomas exclaimed.

The timing worked out perfectly, as Wednesdays are Saban’s only off day during offseason practices and he had a speaking engagement in Atlanta, a short flight away, in the evening.

“I knew something was going on out here but I didn’t know who or what was going to be standing there,” Thomas said. “I’m always glad to see Coach.”

Thomas and Saban first met when the golfer visited Tuscaloosa on a recruiting trip. “He was like a shy little puppy dog sitting in my office,” Saban said Wednesday.

Their relationship grew during Thomas’ time with the Tide, as the golf team’s practice facility was the rare escape for the town’s most famous resident. Saban would work on his game with Alabama’s men’s golf coach, Jay Seawell, but the players were relentless in ribbing him about his well-documented chipping woes.

“The more they got on me, the worse it got because the anxiety would build up,” Saban said Wednesday.

Thomas returns to campus each fall to watch a football game and visit the team in the locker room. He and Saban play during the coach’s offseason, as well. They also keep in contact via text, though it’s not Saban’s preferred method of communication.

“I know things are either really good or really bad if I get a text from Coach Saban because he’s not a big texter,” Thomas said. “It’s either, ‘Hey man, I saw you haven’t been playing well and wanted you to know I’m here for you,’ or, ‘I was watching and I’m proud of you.’”

On Wednesday, they had the Stadium Course to themselves – with the exception of a camera crew and a handful of spectators -- as they played Nos. 16-18. They talked Alabama football while Thomas relived some of his shots from PLAYERS past and guided Saban through the treacherous stretch. Unfortunately, it got the best of him.

“I love seeing JT,” Saban said. “He’s a lot of fun to be around. My expectation for today was to hit a few in the water. I didn’t disappoint.”

That included two tee shots in the water on 17. His first attempt was a few feet short of land, while his second shot landed on the back of the green before bouncing into the water. Thomas took the blame after recommending that Saban hit a soft 9-iron to the Island Green instead of swinging hard with a pitching wedge.

This was Thomas’ first time at TPC Sawgrass since his win at last year’s PLAYERS, where he shot 64-68 on the weekend to win by one after barely making the cut.

“It’s a special place and an amazing course,” Thomas said. “I have a lot of great memories here, but just because you’re excited doesn’t mean it’s going to be handed to you. I have to put in some work and get ready to try to defend.”

Thomas, 28, has 14 PGA TOUR wins but is seeking his first victory since his triumph at TPC Sawgrass. He’s 23rd in this season’s FedExCup standings thanks to four top-10s in six starts. Saban was quick to tell Thomas that defending his title should not be a concern, however.

“I give him the same speech I give our team. When you win a championship they say you have to defend,” Saban said. “You don’t have to defend. No one can take away what you did last year. Just go have fun and do it again.

“There’s no such thing as defending a title, in my opinion. If they took it away from you, it would be different. But you’re always going to be a PLAYERS champion and you’re always going to have that special place in the locker room, so just have fun and win it again.”