Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth join strong field for CJ Cup

Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth will be part of a strong field at the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges from Oct. 17-20 at the Club at Nine Bridges on the resort island of Jeju, the local tournament organizers announced Tuesday.

Thomas won the inaugural CJ Cup in 2017 and will be making his third consecutive appearance in Jeju, while Spieth will make his CJ Cup debut.

Thomas, the 2017 PGA Championship winner, reached No. 1 in the world rankings in May 2018. He is currently No. 5. Spieth, a three-time major champion who first topped the world rankings in 2015, has fallen to 33rd.

The two 26-year-old Americans are also known for their friendship that dates back to their teen years.

Brooks Koepka, defending champion and current No. 1, has already committed to the CJ Cup, as have five-time major champion Phil Mickelson, former No. 1 Jason Day and the 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia.

Other major champions in the field include the 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed and the 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland.

For some local flavor, Korean veteran Choi Kyoung-ju will return to the CJ Cup, after playing in Jeju in 2017 but skipping it last year.

This CJ Cup will likely be Choi’s last PGA Tour event on home soil. He’s eligible to join the PGA Tour Champions for 50-or-older players, next year.

Yonhap