Justin Thomas made the greatest final day comeback in PGA Championship history on Sunday, coming back from seven strokes down at the Southern Hills to claim his second major title. The 29-year-old American beat compatriot Will Zalatoris by one stroke in a tense three-hole composite playoff after being beaten by Chile’s Mito Pereira on the heartbreaking 72nd hole. Pereira led all day only to hit his final tee shot into the water and make a double disaster on the 18th hole and hand Thomas the championship trophy. “It was a strange day,” Thomas said. “Earlier in the week I was asked what lead is safe, and I said lead-free. This place is tough.
“But if you hit the line, you can make the birdies and I’m still patient. I can’t believe I’m in a playoff.”
Not since John Mahaffey’s seven-shot rally at Oakmont in 1978 has anyone been able to fight back like that for the PGA championship.
Thomas, who also won the 2017 PGA title, shot a three-under 67 in the final round on Sunday, and Zalatoris, last year’s Masters runner-up, shot 71 to complete 72 holes with a 5 under 275. .
Zalatoris and Thomas each won their 13th par-5 to open the playoffs. At par-4 17, Thomas hit the green and hit two birdies from 36 meters while Zalatoris missed the post by seven meters but missed his birdie.
On the 18th hole, Zalatoris missed a 40-foot birdie and finished in bottom one while Thomas shot two shots from 26 feet, touching in par and winning in bottom two.
“We were just trying to play golf for what it is, and the place is tough,” says Thomas.
Zalatoris has taken 5th place in the top 10 after 8 starts and has a feeling he is about to break through.
“I can do it. I’m pretty close,” said Zalatoris. “Today I fought like crazy.
Pereira shot 75 to share third with American Cameron Young on 276.
“It’s really sad not being in the playoffs,” Pereira said. “I didn’t even think about water. I just wanted to put it in the game and I hit it too far.
“I guess you have so much pressure in your body that you don’t even know what you’re doing.”
The fate of Pereira, who missed the US Open 2019 in his only previous major, recalls Frenchman Jean Van de Velde’s watery final collapse to a British Open loss. 1999.
“I was really nervous,” Pereira said. “I tried to handle it a bit, but it was really hard. Hitting it in the water was sad. I wish I could do it again.”
The 27-year-old from Santiago squandered a three-stroke lead twice before squandering his last chance.
“He’ll be able to learn from it and get better from it,” Thomas said. “He’s played unbelievable golf this week. There’s no reason to bow.”
Thomas also had a problem, hitting a tee at par-3 6 but hitting a sly 19-foot high.
“It was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Thomas said.
While Pereira struggled, Thomas made a drunken move that started with a 12-foot lap to close in on nine goals.
Thomas dashed out from 64 feet at par-3 11, sinking a birdie putt 18 feet inside at 12 and out of a bunker 4 feet inside the trophy at 17.
Spieth, Rahm is well again
Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood, who has run four bogeys and four birdies in a row, shares fifth place on 277 with fellow Americans Matthew Fitzpatrick and Chris Kirk of the US.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who started nine tempos, made four birdies in the first five holes but never sank another and settled for 68 to finish eighth out of 278.
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Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth, who could have completed a career Grand Slam with a win, shot 69 to finish at 284.
Second-place Jon Rahm, the defending US Open champion from Spain, will beat Masters winner Scottie Scheffler to world number one by one win. He shot 68 to finish on 286.
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