PGA Championship: Justin Thomas claims second major, beats Will Zalatoris in play-off after ‘bizarre day’
- Thomas comes from seven shots behind, the greatest final-round comeback in the tournament’s history
- Victory came only after a heartbreaking last-hole collapse by Chile’s Mito Pereira
Justin Thomas beat fellow American Will Zalatoris by one stroke in a three-hole aggregate play-off to win a tension-packed PGA Championship at Southern Hills for his second major title.
Thomas, also the 2017 PGA champion, roared from seven strokes back to match the greatest final-round comeback in the tournament’s history.
But the victory came only after a heartbreaking last-hole collapse by Chile’s Mito Pereira, who led all day only to end with a double-bogey disaster on the 72nd hole and squander the trophy.
“It was a bizarre day,” Thomas said. “I was asked earlier in the week about what lead is safe, and I said, no lead. This place is so tough.
“But if you hit the fairways you can make birdies and I stayed so patient. I just couldn’t believe I found myself in a playoff.”
Thomas fired a 3-under par 67 in the final round and Zalatoris, last year’s Masters runner-up, shot 71 to finish 72 holes at Southern Hills deadlocked on five-under 275.
Zalatoris and Thomas each birdied the par-5 13th to open the playoff. At the par-4 17th, Thomas drove the green and two-putted for birdie from 36 feet while Zalatoris chipped to seven feet but missed his birdie bid.