Thomas claims first major title
221 yards over the water to a peninsula green that all but sealed the victory.
Even more special than the trophy was seeing his father, Mike Thomas, walk toward him and wrap him in his arms. Thomas is the longtime pro at Harmony Landing outside Louisville, Ky., and a former board member of the PGA of America. His father, Paul Thomas, is a 60-year PGA pro and the first one Thomas, 24, called.
The week began with Spieth’s quest for a career Grand Slam. He was at the 18th green late Sunday afternoon, but only so he could celebrate the moment with Thomas, close friends since they were 14.
“So awesome, dude,” Spieth told him.
Thomas was every bit of that.
With five players still in the mix on the back nine, Thomas surged ahead by chipping in for birdie and holding his nerve down the stretch as his challengers eventually faded, one after another.
Hideki Matsuyama, bidding to become the first player from Japan to win a major, recovered from back-to-back bogeys with birdies on the 14th and 15th holes to get within one shot. But the championship turned on the 16th hole.
Thomas faced a 6-foot par putt to stay at 8 under. Matsuyama caught a good lie over the green and chipped to 5 feet. Thomas wasted no time over the putt and drilled it in the center of cup. Matsuyama missed and was two shots behind.
Thomas sealed it with that 7-iron on the 17th that was so pure that he let the club twirl through his hands as he watched it clear the water and roll out to 15 feet. The birdie putt curled in and his lead was up to three going to the 18th. Thomas finished at 8under 276 for his fourth victory of the year.
“I can’t put it into words,” Thomas said about his PGA of America heritage. “I wish my grandpa could be here for it. It’s so special to get it done. I’m glad we have a trophy now.”
Kevin Kisner was the last one who had a chance to catch him. But he threeputted from 100 feet on the 16th for bogey, couldn’t birdie the 17th from long range and hit his second shot into the water and finished with a double bogey. Kisner, the 54-hole leader, played the final three holes in 6 over on the weekend. He closed with a 74.
“That’s not going to be fun to look at,” he said of his weekend finish over the brutal closing stretch at Quail Hollow.
Matsuyama also hit into the water on No. 18 and made bogey for a 72 to finish three back.
Louis Oosthuizen (70), Patrick Reed (67) and Francesco Molinari (67) tied for second, though none had a chance to win playing the 18th.
Thomas began his move with a 35-foot birdie putt on No. 9, and then caught two breaks on the par-5 10th. His tee shot sailed left into a tree andbounced out into the fairway. Then, his 8-foot birdie putt hung on the left edge of the cup until gravity finally took over. The rule allows a player reasonable time to get to the cup, so it dropped well withinthe limit.
Thomas gets referred to endlessly as Spieth’s best friend because Spieth, who is 3 months younger, has done so much so quickly. Their friendship dates to France when they represented the U.S. in the Evian Junior Masters. Thomas won that 36-hole event.
Ten years later, they have won consecutive majors and head into the FedEx Cup playoffs battling for PGA Tour player of the year.