ROME — Julie Elion sat in the back of the interview room at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club on Tuesday and tried to remain inconspicuous as Justin Thomas conducted his Ryder Cup press conference. Midway through the question and answer session, Thomas was asked how he has managed to get in a better head space.
“You have to work on what’s going on between your ears just like I do my yardages with my wedges,” he said.
Then he threw some love to Elion, who has helped the golfer who struggled for the past year, with his self-belief.
“I think she’s done a great job,” he said.
Speaking to Golfweek in Napa a week ago, he added, “It’s been great for me given the timing of the year I had. Not that I can’t talk to my parents or (wife) Jill or any friends or anything, but it’s nice to hear some unbiased opinions. She’s great. She’s very good at letting you be the one that comes up with the solution or the answer to what’s going on, I’d say.”
Being at the Ryder Cup is old hat for Elion. This is the 10th Cup between Ryder and Presidents Cups, where one of her clients has been on at least one of the teams. This week, she counts three members of Team USA – in addition to Thomas she has helped Max Homa and Wyndham Clark, the reigning U.S. Open champion, perform well enough to make the team.
Thomas credits caddie Jim “Bones” Mackey for suggesting Elion to him.
“Bones brought it up just based on some of the things I was explaining on how I felt,” Thomas said. “He was like I think there’s someone worth talking to.”
Elion previously worked with Phil Mickelson, the former boss for Bones, for several years and began working with Thomas in late January.
“I think he’s one of the most competitive people I’ve ever met,” said Elion, who in addition to being a good sounding board has reminded Thomas that “talent never goes away.”
Thomas is winless since the 2022 PGA Championship and bombed out of the U.S. Open and British Open. He failed to make the top 70, finishing 71st at the end of the regular season and missing the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the first time in his career. He was a controversial captain’s pick by Zach Johnson.
“I think what Zach was saying, ‘You don’t leave JT at home,’ he just has an ability to show up when needed and wanted. He’s both needed and wanted this week. He’s a fighter. He said it today, ‘He shakes hands and then he wants to kill you.’ I wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.”
The mental side of the game has long been under appreciated; there have always been players who have recognized its importance. Homa had a breakthrough season, winning twice and climbing into the top 10 in the world, while Clark, who was winless until this season, has credited his improved attitude and confidence with winning twice and qualifying to represent Team USA for the first time. Clark began working with Elion in January after his agent and caddie undertook an intervention to convince Clark to meet with Elion.
“He’s the hardest worker I’ve ever had,” she said.
The pressure is amped up this week at the Ryder Cup, where every mistake is magnified and hurts not only the player’s performance but that of his partner and team. Elion should be a big asset to Team USA, especially for Clark and Homa, to embrace being in an uncomfortable situation for the first time.
Mental coach Julie Elion observes Max Homa during practce at the 44th Ryder Cup in Italy. (Adam Schupak/Golfweek)
“Everybody mentioned fun,” she said of the press conferences she listened to. “That seems so simple but if they stay in that lane and embrace the nerves so you can have fun, that’s one of the keys.”
Homa, for one, considers Elion an important part of his team, and knows her presence walking inside the ropes with his group and the tools she’s given him could give him an edge this week.
“I think everybody whether you play golf or not should have somebody you can talk to professionally, if you can. I do think it’s really helpful,” he said. “So much of this golf stuff consumes us but we have real life things going on and it can affect your golf. There are a million different reasons to talk to her. It’s been nice that both JT and I are working with her because we can chitchat and we know some of the things that she’ll say to us that we can almost brainstorm how to get better at it on the golf course.”
“It’s always a good week when Julie is there,” Homa added.