Justin Thomas confirmed his place in the game’s growing list of rising stars when emerging from a crowded Sunday leaderboard to capture his first major title at the 99th US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
The 24-year-old American entered the season’s final major somewhat under the radar, at least as far as the bookmakers were concerned, despite having won no fewer than three times on the PGA Tour this season. But after a flaky final round performance at June’s US Open, he showed that he possesses the nerve, as well as the skill, to handle the game’s biggest stages, when fending off challenges from an international line-up of experienced players to win the Wanamaker Trophy by two shots.
Breaking free from a five-way tie for the lead early on the back nine of a fascinating and ever-changing final round, Thomas reached eight-under par with a closing 68 to claim his first major title. Three world-class players – Patrick Reed, Francesco Molinari and Louis Oosthuizen – tied for second.
The defining moments, and there were many in an afternoon of twists and turns, first came at the 13th, when Thomas chipped in from off the green for a birdie, to take a share of the lead. The second, and without question the killer blow, was landed at the par-three 17th, when he holed a 15-foot putt for a two on the second component in Quail Hollow’s ‘Green Mile’ – the stretch of three closing holes that measures over 1,200 yards – which gave the young man from Kentucky the luxury of ‘only’ needing a bogey on the potentially treacherous closing par four. Having driven into a fairway bunker at the last, Thomas played safely for the five that clinched his fourth PGA Tour victory of the season, and earned him a cool $1.9m payday.
“To make a birdie at 17 was beyond a bonus,” said Thomas, who was hugged by close friends Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler as he left the 18th green. “My aim was to be patient all day. I didn’t do that at the US Open this year, and so didn’t have my best stuff. I just needed to be more patient. I felt like I had the game to win and I was hitting the ball so far today, with all the adrenaline.”
Despite weighing less than 11 stone, Thomas is one of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour – averaging 310 yards off the tee – and seems to hit almost every shot at full power. His aggressive tactics paid off handsomely this time, although they had failed him at the US Open, where slumped to a closing 75 after posting a third round 63.
Playing alongside the hotly-fancied world No.3 Hideki Matsuyama in the penultimate group, Thomas consistently outdrove his playing partner, who is no slouch with a driver, putting pressure on the Japanese star, who ultimately crumbled in the face of the American’s superior, and more accurate, firepower, and deft touch with the putter.
Matsuyama, bidding to become his nation’s first major champion, looked out of sorts from the start of the final round, but despite missing numerous fairways and greens, still found himself with a one-shot lead at the turn. However, the winner of the previous week’s WGC event missed several crucial putts inside six feet over the closing holes, and seemed crushed by the weight of expectation. An untidy final-hole bogey saw the Japanese star slip into a share of fifth place with Fowler, who once again came up short on the Sunday of a major. Although his final round 67 was the joint best round of the day, the orange-clad star had left himself too much work to do, after dropping four shots over the final three holes on Saturday.
The same applied to Jason Day, the 2015 US PGA champion, who played himself into contention with three birdies on the back nine on Saturday, only to immediately play himself out of contention when taking a quadruple-bogey eight at the 18th hole. A final round 71 saw him finish in a tie for ninth, with Chris Stroud, Matt Kuchar and Britain’s highest finisher, Jordan Smith.
The 24 year old from Bath, playing in his first major championship, closed with a three-under-par 68 that was bogey-free until the 18th. This latest chapter in Smith’s career is but the latest step in his seemingly seamless rise through the professional ranks. Leading money-winner on the EuroPro circuit in 2015, the former Walker Cup player repeated that feat a year later on the Challenge Tour. And this season he has already won on the European Tour, at the recent Porsche European Open.
“Jordan is really, really good,” said Kuchar, who shot a 68 of his own in Smith’s company. “He drove it beautifully and long. And, although he didn’t miss many shots, when he did he was pretty good at recovering. There aren’t many weaknesses in his game. He has the sort of effortless power that reminds me of Louis Oosthuizen.”
Smith was delighted that his debut in an American major turned out so well. He even won the battle with namesake Spieth for the unofficial title of ‘low Jordan’, which represents something akin to payback. Regularly mistaken for this year’s Open champion, Smith was even introduced on the tee in jest as ‘Jordan Spieth’ at last year’s Challenge Tour Grand Final.
“I’m really, really happy with the way I played today,” said Smith, who is attached to Bowood Hotel Spa & Golf Resort. “It was a bit of a shame about the last hole, but overall I’m just really chuffed with myself. I’ve had some really good playing partners, enjoyed the whole experience, and ended up playing some really good golf. I just need to keep doing what I’m doing. It has worked so far, so I’m just hoping that progression can keep going.”
Spieth, the real one, finished three shots behind his doppelgänger. Bidding to become the youngest player to win a career Grand Slam, the Texan finished tied for 28th after rounds of 72, 73, 71 and 70 and declared himself satisfied with his major year that brought him a Claret Jug, a tied 11th in the Masters and 35th at the US Open
Smith fared much the best of the UK contingent, with the impressively consistent, if slightly frustrating, Paul Casey stalling over the weekend to finish in a tie for 13th, while Rory McIlroy never landed a blow in tied 22nd, after suffering a cold week with the putter. A final round 68 saw the world no.4 finish nine shots behind the winner, and talking of possibly taking the rest of the year off to sort out his rib injury, which he later admitted was still causing him discomfort.
But one man feeling no pain is Justin Thomas, one of the new breed of young players who like to hit it hard, hit it hard again, and see where it takes them. Judging by his performances this year, most likely to the very top of the game.
US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP TOP 10
-8 Thomas
-6 Molinari, Reed, Oosthuizen
-5 Fowler, Matsuyama
-4 DeLaet, Kisner
-1 Smith, Kuchar, Day, Stroud