Justin Thomas ends PGA Tour long wait with RBC Heritage play-off win
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Justin Thomas poses with the trophy after winning the final round of the RBC Heritage 2025 at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 20.
PHOTO: AFP
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WASHINGTON – Justin Thomas defeated Andrew Novak in a play-off to win the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage and claim his first victory since the 2022 PGA Championship.
Novak had a great chance to win in regulation but agonisingly missed a 10-foot birdie putt to send himself and Thomas back to the 18th at Harbour Town for the play-off on April 20.
With Novak unable to make his long birdie putt, Thomas took his chance, draining his putt superbly from 21 feet to end his winless run.
“It’s so hard to force the issue on a course like this. It’s so firm, so fast. It just was so fun to play. I mean, I’m really, really proud of myself today, how patient I was, and just plodding my way around,” said Thomas, 31.
“I’ve never made a putt to win a tournament before, like, of length. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of tap-ins, but I’ve never made a putt, and that was pretty cool... That was as fun as I thought it would be.”
It was Thomas’ 16th win on the PGA Tour and moves him to second place in the FedExCup rankings, behind Masters champion Rory McIlroy.
Thomas and Novak shared second place heading into the final round in South Carolina, one back of 54-hole leader Kim Si-woo, and the pair matched scores of 68.
Thomas and Novak finished three strokes clear of a four-way tie for third at 14 under, which included Daniel Berger, Mackenzie Hughes, Brian Harman and Maverick McNealy.
Novak reached the turn on two under for his round after four birdies and two bogeys, but he had just a solitary birdie on the back nine at the 16th.
It was a similar story, albeit bogey free, for Thomas who reached the turn two under, and made his lone back-nine birdie on the par-five 15th.
Novak was searching for his first win on the PGA Tour but the 30-year-old was able to be philosophical about the missed putt which cost him that maiden victory.
“I’m not as frustrated as I thought I would be,” he said. “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, the fact that I was able to scrap out almost a win with not really swinging my best. The irons were giving me issues at times.”
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, finished joint-eighth after a 70. AFP
