Justin Thomas clinched his first PGA Tour title in three years, ending a lengthy title drought on the PGA Tour. The former world No. 1 birdied his first extra hole to see off Andrew Novak in a playoff on Sunday at the RBC Heritage. Thomas shot a bogey-free 68 to finish at 17 under, tied with Andrew Novak.
Novak fired five birdies and two bogeys and missed an eight-foot putt on the 72nd hole, narrowly missing out on winning his maiden PGA Tour title. The players returned to the par-four 18th for the playoff, where Thomas sank a 20-foot birdie to win his first PGA Tour title since the 2022 PGA Championship.
Thomas Impressive In Play-off Victory
Thomas started the final round at Harbour Town Golf Links one shot behind Si Woo Kim. But the 31-year-old delivered a brilliant performance from the rough at the eighth to set up a 12-foot birdie, moving into the solo lead at 16 under.
Novak responded with a remarkable birdie from 15 feet at the 16th and had a glorious opportunity to win the tournament in regulation, having seen Thomas set the clubhouse target with three pars, but he missed an eight-foot birdie chance for victory at the par-four last.
Both players found the green in regulation on the first playoff hole, but Novak was unable to make his long-range birdie attempt from 35 feet. Thomas carded rounds of 61, 69, 69, and 68 before claiming the playoff victory as he drained his putt to spark wild celebrations on the 18th green.
“Winning is hard. It’s really, really hard,” Thomas said after the victory. “I’ve worked my butt off and stayed patient, stayed positive. I got a great wife, great team, great daughter. You just take it for granted sometimes when you get on those runs and I didn’t realize how much I missed winning.”
What Next For Thomas?
Thomas has proved that he can compete with the elite after his thrilling playoff victory over Novak. He joins an elite group of just seven players who have won at least 16 times on Tour while also holding multiple major championships since 1960. The 31-year-old will hope to continue his impressive form as he aims to win more titles on the PGA Tour after ending his nearly three-year drought on Sunday.
The 2022 PGA Championship winner is expected to compete at the PGA Tour’s next stop; the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. The Zurich Classic is a team event and Thomas could have the opportunity to partner with one of the best golfers and compete in a different format. The 31-year-old will be determined to build on his success at the RBC Heritage.
Main Photo Credit: © Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
