DORAL, Fla. (AP) – Justin Thomas is among the few active Americans who knows what it's like to celebrate a Ryder Cup victory.

He was 15.

His father, Mike Thomas, was on the PGA of America board in 2008 when the matches were at Valhalla, so his son was tagging along for the week.

"It was a really cool week," Thomas said.

And it got even better on Sunday. He was around the 17th hole when Jim Furyk won to clinch a rare victory over Europe.

"J.B. (Holmes) had won his match, and he saw my mom and I. We knew him and he kind of grabbed me under the ropes," Thomas said. "We were right there with everyone, right there behind the green. They won, and Phil (Mickelson) is there high-fiving everyone. I gave Phil a high-five and he was hugging my mom. It was crazy. For someone like me, I remember those moments. It's funny now being with him all the time."

Thomas wasn't with Mickelson at the Ryder Cup dinner last week that Jack Nicklaus hosted. Only later did he realize only the top 40 in the current points standings were invited. Thomas was at No. 45 because his victory at the CIMB Classic and tie for third at Silverado were in the fall and did not count. If they had, he would have been No. 9.

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