Albany, Bahamas ….

Not in his wildest dreams would a then seven-year old Louisville school-boy named Justin Thomas dream that 17 years going forward he would also be holding the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy as a PGA Champion.

It was watching coverage of the 2000 PGA Championship that the PGA Tour’s 2016/17 Player of the Year was first drawn to Woods’ golfing magic.

At the time Thomas, and now aged 24, was at home with his family in Louisville, Kentucky and recalled that day ahead of teeing-up in this week’s Hero World Challenge.

Tiger Woods wins a second straight PGA Rodman Wanamaker trophy in defeating Bob May in 2000 at Valhalla.

Justin Thomas looks back fondly on watching Tiger Woods win the 2000 PGA Championship.

“I can still remember the PGA at Valhalla in 2000 was the first real memory I have probably just because I was there and being ‑‑ I remember just being in the clubhouse when he had that putt to get into a playoff with Bob May, just watching on TV.,” said Thomas.

“The little delay like as soon as he hit it, on TV you could just hear the crowd go nuts outside.

“I was a seven‑year‑old and it was pretty cool to see that great of a show, the back nine that those two guys put on, and for Tiger to come back and get in that playoff and win was awesome.  Like a lot of people or kids, whatever you want to call it, my age that play golf, we grew up in that era, so it’s pretty fun to watch.”

Fast forward and the current World No. 3 was quizzed if he felt if Woods could get back to that player who that year in 2000 won a second straight PGA Championship.

Of course, Thomas met-up with Woods soon after Thomas captured the PGA Championship but now imagine his excitement being drawn to play alongside Woods for the first round of this week’s event.

“I don’t know, I never played against that, that person,” Thomas said when asked what it will be like alongside Woods.

“So it’s just all I know is in terms of watching him actually play golf is what I’ve seen.  I mean, yeah, I’ve watched him on TV but until you’re there and you stand and you watch the golf shots, you hear the sound it makes, you watch the putts, chips, then you really get an idea, but I guess we’ll just wait to have to see.”