'Disaster To Relief' - Justin Thomas Wins Tournament Of Champions Again
The American won in a playoff after bogeying two of the final three holes
The American won in a playoff after bogeying two of the final three holes
'Disaster To Relief' - Justin Thomas Wins Tournament Of Champions Again
Justin Thomas beat Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele to win the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua for the second time.
The 2017 winner described his 12th PGA Tour victory as "relief" after hitting his second into the penalty area on the last hole to bogey and lose his one stroke lead.
That was after bogeying the 16th as well in what was a brilliant round that he let get away from him.
Still, he got the 'W' thanks to a birdie on the 3rd playoff hole after Schauffele was eliminated on the 1st extra hole and Patrick Reed failed to make birdie the 2nd or 3rd extra holes.
“The emotions and how I was winning and then I was barely winning and then I was losing and then I barely got in a playoff… that takes a lot out of you," Thomas said after his win.
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"I probably don't seem as elated as I might be or as I would hope to be."
The 26-year-old shot a closing four under par 69 with seven birdies and three bogeys.
The American now has 12 PGA Tour victories and is closing in on Jon Rahm in 3rd spot in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Thomas is now almost a full point clear of World No.5 Dustin Johnson, too.
Related: Justin Thomas What's in the bag?
“Once I get back to the hotel hopefully with my family, I'll be able to enjoy it a little bit and we'll talk about it. But relief is definitely a word that comes to mind," he said.
“I truly felt like through 15 holes it was one of the best rounds I had played.
"I was in such control tee to green. I was putting it beautifully, my irons were awesome, and I hit a really good drive on 16, just the wind took it more, and then 18 was just a disaster.
"I really didn't hit very many good shots on the hole. But it worked out.
“It means a lot. A decent amount of them I got fortunate like I did today. That's what happens when you win. Stuff goes your way.
“It's not supposed to be that hard. I know it's hard, but I made it about five times as hard as it needed to be. Obviously you have to play well and make some putts and hit some shots, but at the end of the day, you need stuff to go your way, and it definitely did today, and it feels great.
“It's another one down. I want to keep building on that, and I feel like I'm really just trying to get better every year, and we're improving in some of the right areas. Next week we will try to get to 13.”
Thomas won the Tournament of Champions in 2017 and then went on to win the Sony Open the following week after shooting a 59 in the opening round.
His 2017 was the best year of his career with five victories including his maiden Major.
He'll be hoping to emulate that in 2020.
High winds made it difficult for the players with the winning score coming at -14, the second-highest winning score since Kapalua began hosting in 1999.
Tournament of Champions Leaderboard:
1 Justin Thomas -14
2 Patrick Reed -14
2 Xander Schauffele -14
4 Patrick Cantlay -11
5 Rickie Fowler -10
5 Joaquin Niemann -10
7 Dustin Johnson -9
7 Collin Morikawa -9
7 Gary Woodland -9
10 Jon Rahm -8
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Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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