HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Justin Thomas reestablished his place among golf’s elites by clinching a victory at the RBC Heritage with a dramatic final putt on Sunday. Walking up to the 18th green at Harbour Town during a playoff against Andrew Novak, Thomas noted to Joe Greiner, his temporary caddie, that he had yet to sink a significant putt to clinch a win on a final hole. He faced a daunting 20-foot putt.
The execution was flawless, and Thomas felt a surge of elation as the ball found its home in the cup. This marked his first win in almost three years. “That was pretty cool,” Thomas reflected on his victory. “That was as fun as I thought it would be.”
Thomas achieved a bogey-free round under the dry, fast conditions of the course that required utmost precision. He impressed with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th and concluded his round with a 3-under 68. His nerviest moment? Watching from the scoring trailer as Novak stood over an 8-foot putt to win. Novak’s birdie attempt drifted left, allowing Thomas to stay in contention.
In their playoff, Novak’s attempt from just inside 35 feet was unsuccessful, paving the way for Thomas to seize the win. His gaze took in the lively crowd, the scenic Calibogue Sound, and his family cheering him on, as he savored the triumph.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed winning,” expressed Thomas. Accompanied by his wife Jill and 5-month-old daughter Molly, it was a heartfelt moment on the 18th green. His previous victory dated back to the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in May 2022. After a challenging period marked by a slide in form and missing the FedEx Cup playoffs in 2023, Thomas was left out of the Presidents Cup team.
With a return to the top 10, Thomas felt he had recaptured his position among golf’s best, needing only a victory to solidify that standing. “I think it was the last thing missing, if you will,” he mused. “It’s hard to say because obviously careers are so long and there’s so much up and down and lots going on that you never know what point of your career you’re at until it’s over. At least for me, I felt like it was the last thing that I needed to do for my own well-being.”
Novak, who had been a contender in various tournaments, acknowledged his performance. “I’m not as frustrated as I thought I would be,” Novak admitted. “I feel like I did a lot of good things. I’m pretty proud of putting myself in that position when I really felt like I wasn’t swinging it that great this week.”
Thomas’s win is his 16th on the PGA Tour and it boosts him to No. 6 in the world rankings, also securing him a top-six placement in the Ryder Cup standings. Throughout the round, he and Novak gained a lead on a tight leaderboard, which included Si Woo Kim and Maverick McNealy. Daniel Berger finished strong with a 65, tying for third with McNealy, Mackenzie Hughes, and Brian Harman.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler aimed for a dramatic finish, briefly closing the gap with a series of birdies, yet fell short with a risky shot that found water, resulting in a double bogey. He tied for eighth but retained hope, commenting, “I think I’m really close. I feel like I did a lot of things well this week, just a few of the important shots I just didn’t pull off.”
Thomas’s victory was sealed with a decisive birdie in a playoff. He demonstrated remarkable skill across the front nine with a run of five consecutive successful putts, showcasing his precision and poise.
Novak, despite facing challenges from the trees, showed resilience with some favorable bounces and an impressive par from a sandy lie on the 11th. His performance should secure him a spot in the U.S. Open and potentially the British Open, pending his position in the world rankings.