Thomas hangs on for BMW triumph

With a six-stroke lead, Justin Thomas spent more time Sunday worrying about what could go wrong than ending 12 months without winning.

And when it started to go wrong, he made his biggest shots in the BMW Championship in Medinah, Ill.

In a span of three holes around the turn at Medinah Country Club, his six-shot lead shrunk to two. Thomas answered with two clutch wedge shots and two big putts and sailed to a fourunder-par 68 to secure a three-stroke win over Patrick Cantlay, who gave him a battle to the end with a 65.

“Patrick played unbelievably,” said Thomas, who finished at 25-under 263. “It kept me focused.”

Thomas’ first victory since the World Golf Championship at Firestone last year moved him to the top of the FedEx Cup going into this week’s Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, where he will start the tournament at 10 under with a two-stroke lead under the new scoring format as the final 30 players chase a $15million first prize.

Cantlay secured the No. 2 position and will start at eight under. Brooks Koepka will be at seven under. That staggered start will not include Masters champion Tiger Woods, the defending East Lake winner. He was a longshot going into the final round to crack the top 30, and he closed with a 72.

Hideki Matsuyama shot a 63 — his second of the tournament — to finish in third at 20 under.

Andy Ogletree won the U.S. Amateur in Pinehurst, N.C., rallying in the 36-hole final to beat John Augenstein 2 and 1 at Pinehurst’s renovated No. 4 course . ... Doug Barron holed two 15foot birdie putts after a rain delay to beat Fred Couples by two strokes in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y. Barron closed with a six-under 66 in the PGA Tour Champions event at En Joie Golf Club to finish at 17-under 199. Couples had a 63.