Lesson learnt, no more doubts

Despite four-stroke deficit, Justin Thomas reels in rivals to win 13th PGA Tour title and be No. 1 again

Justin Thomas and caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay discussing his second shot on the par-four final hole on Sunday. He saved par with a "pretty sick" chip for a three-shot win in the WGC event in Memphis.
Justin Thomas and caddie Jim "Bones" Mackay discussing his second shot on the par-four final hole on Sunday. He saved par with a "pretty sick" chip for a three-shot win in the WGC event in Memphis. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

MEMPHIS (Tennessee) • Losses are often learning experiences, and that was the case for Justin Thomas at the World Golf Championships (WGC)-FedEx St Jude Invitational.

Losing a three-stroke lead three weeks ago helped him make an unprecedented comeback at TPC Southwind. He now has 13 PGA Tour victories but he won this latest one in a way that he never had.

The American began in fifth place on Sunday. Never before has he won after starting the final round so low on the leaderboard. He also trailed by four shots, matching the largest final-round deficit he has overcome on Tour.

The victory kept him on an elite pace. Since 1960, only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have reached 13 wins at a younger age. Thomas is 27 years, three months and four days old.

He fired a five-under 65 for a 13-under 267 total, good for a three-shot win over Brooks Koepka (69), Phil Mickelson (67), Daniel Berger (65) and Tom Lewis (66).

He also finished first in strokes gained: tee-to-green, second in strokes gained: approach-the-green and second in proximity to the hole.

This was his third win of the season and first since the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January. He increased his lead in the FedExCup standings to more than 700 points and retook the top spot in the world rankings. This was also his second WGC win.

"It was a hard-fought day, but it meant a lot… how we did it, being four behind to start the day." he said. "I haven't exactly played well coming from behind in the past and I feel like I learnt a lot from that."

The winning margin implies an easy victory, but it was anything but. At one point on the back nine, there were five players tied for the lead. Koepka, who seemed to have regained the form that has netted him four Majors, put pressure on Thomas until the final hole which the latter described as a "grind".

He appeared to have the tournament in hand when Koepka's pitch to the par-five 16th rolled over the green. The bogey gave him a two-shot lead.

But Koepka has a knack for summoning his best golf in crucial moments, and he did that again, holing a 40-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the par-four 17th to pull back within a shot.​

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    Wins for Justin Thomas when trailing by more than two shots at the start of the final round.

Thomas pushed his drive and approach well right on the par-four 18th hole to ensure he missed the water. A bogey seemed possible but Koepka drove into the water and closed with a double bogey, while Thomas was saving par with a chip he described as "pretty sick".

This was just Thomas' second win when trailing by more than two shots entering the final round. He has held the 54-hole lead in eight of his 13 victories.

He also trailed by four entering the final round of the 2016 CIMB Classic, his second win on Tour.

Three weeks ago, he paid the price for letting his mind wander. He had a three-shot lead with three holes remaining at the Workday Charity Open, but bogeyed two of the final three holes and lost to Collin Morikawa in a play-off.

"I just didn't get ahead of myself any time those last two, three holes, where I felt like my mind was kind of wandering and maybe thinking about winning," he said.

"I basically just told myself to shut up and figure out what you're doing because I could lose that tournament just as easily as I won it today. I was really, really proud of myself to stay in the moment and get it done."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 04, 2020, with the headline Lesson learnt, no more doubts. Subscribe