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Monday 6 august 2018
Thomas doesn't break sweat in winning finale at Firestone

By DOUG FERGUSON 25-year-old Thomas made 15-under 265 for a four-shot
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Justin only two birdies. That was victory over Kyle Stanley,
Thomas took all the drama all he needed on a day who got within two shots
out of the final World Golf when just about everyone of the lead until bogeys on
Championship at Firestone, within range was making the 13th and 14th holes.
never letting anyone closer all the mistakes. Stanley closed with a 68.
than two shots and closing McIlroy finished the back Dustin Johnson, the world's
with a 1-under 69 to win the nine with consecutive bo- No. 1 player who was com-
Bridgestone Invitational for geys and never recovered. ing off a victory in the Ca-
his third PGA Tour title this Ian Poulter shot 74. Jason nadian Open last week,
season. Day tried to make a run by started the final round 10
Sweeter than capturing his making three straight bird- shots behind and shot 29
first World Golf Champion- ies, only to play the final six on the front nine. A birdie
ship was the sight behind holes in 5 over to shoot 73. at No. 10 put him three
the 18th green Sunday. Tiger Woods, an eight-time shots behind, but that was
His grandparents, Paul and winner at Firestone, started all he had. Johnson bo-
Phyllis Thomas, watched 11 shots behind and fig- geyed the last hole for a 64
him win for the first time on ured he would go out with and shared third with Thor-
the PGA Tour. Paul Thomas a bang by playing aggres- bjorn Olesen of Denmark,
was a career club pro- sively. He turned in a dud, who also had a 64.
fessional and played at and a birdie on the 18th U.S. Open champion Brooks
Firestone in the 1960 PGA hole gave him another 73 Koepka had a 67 to finish
Championship, missing the to leave him 15 shots be- fifth. McIlroy won at Bay Hill
54-hole cut. His son, Mike hind. "Things could have in March and has three run-
Thomas, also is a career certainly gone better," ner-up finishes, and he had
club pro in Kentucky and Woods said. "But it is what said Saturday afternoon he
a former PGA of America it is, and on to next week." was tired of finishing sec-
board member. Thomas must feel the same ond. Not to worry. His 73
"I got a little choked up way. He had gone five gave him a tie for sixth.
when I saw grandma and months since his last vic- Thomas becomes the 21st
grandpa over there," Thom- tory, a playoff win at the player to win a World Golf
as said. "It's really cool. They Honda Classic. While he Championship and a ma-
don't get to come out very didn't feel as though he jor, and his three victories
often." were playing poorly, he tie him with Johnson and
Justin Thomas reacts to his tee shot on the sixth hole during the They saw a one-man show. didn't have the results to Bubba Watson for most on
final round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Playing in the final group back it up. Now he does, the PGA Tour this year. The
Firestone Country Club, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018, in Akron, Ohio.
Associated Press with Rory McIlroy, the and Thomas heads to St. ninth victory of his career
Louis next week for the PGA moves him to No. 2 in the
Championship, where he world, with a shot to regain
will try to join Woods as the the No. 1 ranking next week
only players to win back-to- at the PGA Championship.
back in stroke play. Woods He set the tone early by
did it twice. hooking a pitching wedge
Thomas had not had a over a steep lip in a fairway
score better than 67, and bunker to just short of the
he had not finished higher green and saving par with
than a tie for 28th in his two a 6-foot putt, then holing a
previous appearances at 15-foot birdie putt on the
Firestone. par-5 second.
"I'm glad I finally played "It was big because I was
well around here, just in really nervous today,"
time to leave," he said. Thomas said. "It felt like it
Firestone has held tour had been a while, but I
events since the Rubber guess it hadn't really been
City Open in 1954. The that long. I don't know. I
World Series of Golf began was very nervous, very jit-
in 1962, and it became an tery. To make that putt on
official PGA Tour event in 1 and again on 2 just kind
1976. In many respects, it of calmed me and got me
was the precursor to the going for the day."q
World Golf Championships
by bringing in winners from
around the world.
Bridgestone shifted its title
sponsorship to the PGA
Tour Champions, which
will bring its Senior Players
Championship to Firestone
next year. The World Golf
Championship instead will
move to Memphis, Ten-
nessee. Thomas finished at