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SPORTS Monday 14 august 2017
Justin Thomas rallies to

win the PGA Championship

By DOUG FERGUSON suyama missed and was Matsuyama also hit into
AP Golf Writer two shots behind. the water on No. 18 and
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — “The last major of the year, made bogey for a 72 to fin-
Justin Thomas emerged and I was in contention,” ish three back.
from the shadow of a said Matsuyama, a runner- Louis Oosthuizen (70), Pat-
longtime friend and won up at the U.S. Open. “All I rick Reed (67) and Fran-
the PGA Championship to can do is try harder next cesco Molinari (67) tied for
take his place among the time.” second, though none had
young elite in golf. Thomas sealed it with a a chance to win playing
With two big breaks to start 7-iron from 221 yards, so the 18th. Oosthuizen holed
the back nine, a chip-in for pure that he let the club a 50-foot birdie putt on the
birdie to seize control and twirl through his hands as he 18th to get a runner-up
a timely 7-iron that soared watched it clear the water finish in the majors for the
over the water to a penin- and roll out to 15 feet. The fourth time.
sula green, Thomas closed birdie putt curled in and his For Reed, it was his first top
with a 3-under 68 for a two- lead was up to three going 10 in a major.
shot victory. to the 18th. A final bogey Just two months ago, fresh
The PGA Championship only affected the score. off a record-tying 63 in the
was the most fitting ma- Thomas finished at 8-under U.S. Open to get in the final
jor for the 24-year-old son 276 for his fourth victory of group at Erin Hills, Thomas Justin Thomas poses with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning
of a PGA professional. the year. struggled from the start the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow
Mike Thomas, a former The PGA has been part of and shot 75. q Club Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, in Charlotte, N.C.
PGA board member and the Thomas family for three Associated Press
longtime pro at Harmony generations. Paul Thomas,
Landing outside Louisville, his grandfather, was the
Kentucky, walked along longtime pro at Zanesville
the edge of the 18th green Country Club in Ohio who
and into the arms of his son, played in the 1962 U.S.
a major champion. Open. His father played
The week began with Jor- at Morehead State and
dan Spieth’s quest for a had aspirations of play-
career Grand Slam. Spi- ing the tour that didn’t last
eth was at the 18th green long. Instead, Mike Thomas
late Sunday afternoon at became a club pro who
Quail Hollow, but only so he watched his son fall in love
could celebrate the mo- with the game and grow
ment with Thomas, close into a force on the PGA
friends since they were 14. Tour.
“So awesome, dude,” Spi- “I can’t put it into words,”
eth told him. Thomas said about his PGA
Thomas was every bit of of America heritage. “I wish
that. my grandpa could be here
With five players still in for it. It’s so special to get it
the mix on the back nine, done. I’ve glad we have a
Thomas surged ahead by trophy now.”
chipping in from 40 feet on Kevin Kisner was the last
the par-3 13th hole, and one who had a chance
holding his nerve down the to catch him. But he three-
stretch as his challengers putted from 100 feet on the
eventually faded, one af- 16th for bogey, couldn’t
ter another. birdie the 17th from long
Hideki Matsuyama, bidding range and hit his second
to become the first player shot into the water and fin-
from Japan to win a major, ished with a double bogey.
recovered from back-to- Kisner, the 54-hole leader,
back bogeys with birdies played the final three holes
on the 14th and 15th holes in 6 over on the weekend.
to get within one shot. But He closed with a 74.
the championship turned “That’s not going to be
on the 16th hole. fun to look at,” he said of
Thomas faced a 6-foot his weekend finish over
par putt to stay at 8 un- the brutal closing stretch
der. Matsuyama caught at Quail Hollow. “I thought
a good lie over the green I had to get to 10 (under)
and chipped to 5 feet. starting the day to win, and
Thomas wasted no time that was about right. I had
over the putt and drilled it every opportunity. I just
in the center of cup. Mat- didn’t finish it off.”