JUST IN TIME
THOMAS’ LATE BIRDIES WIN PGA TITLE
CHARLOTTE – Two spectacular birdies in the last six holes brought Justin Thomas his first major title, the 14th-ranked American taking the PGA Championship on Sunday in a backnine shootout thriller.
On a day that saw five players share the lead at one stage, Thomas fired a three-under par 68 to finish 72 holes on eight-under par 276 for a two-stroke victory over South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, Italy’s Francesco Molinari and American Patrick Reed.
“I knew no matter what my game was at I had to be patient,” Thomas said. “I knew I had the game to get it done. I just had to put it out there.”
Thomas rolled in an amazing 40foot chip shot at the par-3 13th for a two-stroke lead and curled a 14-foot putt into the left side of the cup to birdie the par-3 17th for a three-shot edge, making a closing bogey all-but irrelevant.
“To make a birdie there was beyond a bonus,” Thomas said of 17. “And 13 was really special as well.”
Thomas, 24, claimed the Wanamaker Trophy and grabs the top prize of $1.89 million (1.59 million euros) for his fourth victory of the season after last year’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia and two January events in Hawaii, the Tournament of Champions and Sony Open.
World number three Hideki Matsuyama, trying to become Japan’s first men’s major golf champion, led at the turn but had five bogeys and three birdies on the back nine to share fifth with US star Rickie Fowler on 279.
“The course played tough. The pins were receptive, though. I was just disappointed the way I played,” Matsuyama said.
“The last major of the year, and I was in contention. All I can do is just try harder next time.”
Canada’s Graham DeLaet and 54hole leader Kevin Kisner were another shot back.