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Justin Thomas pulls off major comeback, wins PGA Championship

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh05/22/22griffin_mcveigh
On3 image
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

A major championship had not seen a playoff since 2015, one of the longest streaks in golf history. The 2022 PGA Championship was able to provide a thrilling one, with Justin Thomas defeating Will Zalatoris after a three-hole playoff. Thomas had two birdies in the playoff, while Zalatoris could only manage one.

The shot of the tournament came on the second playoff hole, where Thomas drove the green on a Par 4. He ended up two-putting and added another birdie to his name. After hitting his tee shot, Thomas gave an incredible club twirl, showing how satisfied he was with the shot while still in the air.

Thomas stepped onto the final tee seven shots back, having a distant chance of seriously competing. Thanks to a Sunday round of 67, Thomas vaulted himself near the top of the leaderboard and put pressure on others who played in the final groups.

Six birdies went down for Thomas, while two bogeys went down on the front nine. Thomas played the back nine beautifully, not dropping a shot. On the 18th hole, there was an opportunity to sink another birdie and would have won the tournament outright. However, Thomas missed and went into the playoff.

Mito Pereira was the leader heading into Sunday, starting the day at 9-under. He shot a poor 75, opening the door for plenty of others. Matthew Fitzpatrick and Cameron Young were competing throughout the day as well, getting within a few shots of the lead during the final round.

When Pereira stepped onto the 18th hole, all he needed was a par to win. His tee shot ended up in the water before scoring a double bogey and working himself out of the playoff. The feel-good story of the weekend just ended up on the wrong side, Sunday.

Thomas now has two major championships to his name with both being the PGA Championship. He won his first back in 2017 at Quail Hollow Golf Club in North Carolina. Now at Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma, the event has become one where Thomas thrives. Now, another Wanamaker Trophy will be added to his cabinet.

Hitting the final putt to win a tournament is always a special one, especially in a major championship. It was a simple tap-in for Thomas before all of his emotions poured out.

The win marks the 17th in the totality of Thomas’ professional career. Fifteen have come on the PGA Tour, with the last being the 2021 version of The Players Championship. Considered one of the best players on the tour, Thomas has won in eight consecutive years.

As for Zalatoris, he was searching for his first career win on the PGA Tour. The young golfer has come close twice now, also losing a playoff against Luke List in the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open. Even with the loss, Zalatoris tied his career-best finish at a major championship after placing second at the 2021 Masters.