Justin Thomas claims Sentry Tournament of Champions with play-off win

Justin Thomas claims dramatic play-off win over Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele at the Sentry Tournament of Champions

Justin Thomas earned the 12th PGA Tour win of his career with victory on the third play-off hole at the Plantation Course in Kapalua on Sunday. 

Thomas, who led by two strokes with three holes to play, bogeyed both the 16th and 18th holes to fall back in to a three-way tie with Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed on 14-under-par with a four-under 69. 

Defending champion Schauffele was the first player to be eliminated after Thomas and Reed made birdies, and the duo matched pars at the second before Thomas converted a three-foot birdie putt on the third play-off hole. 

“It means a lot,” Thomas said of his second victory at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

“A decent amount of them I got fortunate like I did today. That’s what happens when you win. Stuff goes your way. Obviously you have to play well and make some putts and hit some shots, but at the end of the day, you need stuff to go your way, and it definitely did today, and it feels great.

“I truly felt like through 15 holes it was one of the best rounds I had played. I was in such control tee to green. I was putting it beautifully, my irons were awesome, and I hit a really good drive on 16, just the wind took it more, and then 18 was just a disaster. I really didn’t hit very many good shots on the hole. But it worked out.”

Thomas began the day one behind overnight leader Schauffele, and the pair both recorded birdies at the par-five fifth before the eventual winner failed to get up and down for par at the seventh to fall two behind.

Schauffele was unable to save his par at the eighth, where Thomas holed a mid-range birdie putt, and it marked the start of a key change in momentum as it began a run of four consecutive gains to move him in to the lead. 

At the 13th Schauffele began a run of three birdies in a row, but Thomas answered with back-to-back birdies of his own at the 14th and 15th to stay two ahead on 16-under.

Up ahead, Patrick Reed set the clubhouse target on 14-under following a seven-under 66, and he quickly found himself within one shot of the lead after Thomas missed a par putt from eight feet at the 16th. 

Following a par at 17, Thomas headed to the par-five 18th tee with a one stroke lead, but pulled his approach shot in to the thick grass and was forced to take a drop. He was unable to hole the 10-footer for par, but was given a reprieve as Schauffele was unable to take advantage, three-putting from 40 feet to force sudden death. 

The trio of players returned to the par-five 18th, and it was Reed and Thomas who advanced after making birdies, before both carding fives on the second trip up 18.

It looked like there may be a fourth hole needed when both players had good birdie chances on the third hole of the play-off, but Reed missed his eight-foot birdie try, leaving Thomas to see in the victory from three feet.

With his 12th PGA Tour win, Justin Thomas now has more wins than any other player currently under the age of 30, overtaking Jordan Spieth by one. But if you ask Thomas, it’s not that big of a deal. 

“I mean, personally it’s not an accomplishment getting to 12,” the 26-year-old said. “It’s an accomplishment winning today, but I’ll have fun with my family and celebrate it tonight, and next week we try to get 13.”

Patrick Cantlay birdied four of his last five holes to finish three strokes back in fourth, while Rickie Fowler finished a shot further back on 10-under with Joaquin Niemann.

Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson finished in a tie for 7th on 10-under with Collin Morikawa and Gary Woodland in his first official tournament back following knee surgery.