Justin Thomas matched a PGA Championship record when he rallied from a seven-shot deficit Sunday to win his second major title.
“I was asked early in the week what lead is safe and I said, `No lead,”‘ Thomas said. “I can’t believe I found myself in a playoff.”
The course in Tulsa, Oklahoma played tough, but in the end, it would be Thomas bettering Will Zalatoris in a three hole playoff, after Chile’s Mito Pereira gave away the lead on the final hole. Pereira had a one-shot lead heading into 18, but hit his tee shot into the creek, and made double-bogey. Thomas was already finished, with a 67 in the final round to tie Zalatoris at 5-under.
It looked like Pereira would likely hang on until the mess on 18. Though ranked 100th in the world heading into the tournament, most golf fans were likely not familiar with Pereira prior to the PGA Championship, though he did win on the Korn Ferry Tour. Pereira was aware that many didn’t expect him to hang on.
“It’s by far the biggest tournament I played, the biggest round of golf and tomorrow is going to be even bigger,” he said, heading into the final round. “I don’t know how to say—just try to keep it simple, try to do the same things that I’ve been doing, try to not even look at the people that’s around me.”
Unfortunately that wasn’t enough, and Pereira finished in a tie for third with Cameron Young.
Like the British Open, the PGA Championship uses a three hole playoff format. Despite having to lay up on the first playoff hole, the par 5 13th, Thomas got up-and-down to make birdie, with Zalatoris also making birdie. On the drivable 17th, Thomas made birdie, while Zalatoris couldn’t convert and fell behind by one shot. Thomas made par on the final hole, bettering Zalatoris by a single shot to take his second PGA Championship.
Adam Hadwin was the top Canadian finishing T71.
What’s In the Winner’s Bag?
Driver: Titleist TSi3
3-wood: Titleist TS3
5-wood: Titleist 915 Fd
Irons: Titleist T100 (4), Titleist 621.JT (5-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (46-10F @47.5, 52-12F @52.5, 56-14F @57), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-06K)
Putter: Scotty Cameron X5 Tour Prototype