Late Mistakes Cost Thomas Chance To Repeat As PGA Champion
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2018-08-13
By DAVE SKRETTA, Associated Press
ST. LOUIS, Missouri — Justin Thomas didn’t lose a whole lot of confidence after a three-putt bogey on the ninth hole. He rebounded with a couple more birdies to start the back nine and get back into contention for his second straight PGA Championship.
The real mistake came on the par-4 14th at Bellerive.
The defending champion had a wedge in his hands from 128 yards and dumped it into a greenside bunker. Thomas wound up making bogey from there, and then added another bogey a couple holes later, effectively ending any chances he had of going back-to-back.
“I don’t really know what happened,” said Thomas, whose 2-under 68 left him six shots back of winner Brooks Koepka. “I just shouldn’t have ever been there. I should have had it inside 10 feet for birdie and, yeah, just kind of killed my momentum.”
Thomas came into the week with plenty of momentum after winning a World Golf Championship at Firestone, and it never really abated. He opened with a 69 before a 5-under 65 thrust him into the mix. He added a 68 in the third round to leave himself with work to do in the final round.
He had a chance, though. And it became a really good chance by the time he made the turn.
“Starting four back and then having a putt to take the lead on No. 9, I couldn’t have really drawn it up any better,” he said. “I just had a lot of things go wrong on that putt on nine. I didn’t play enough break, I hit it too hard, I had a huge spike mark in my line, and I pushed it.
“But like I said, I bounced back fine and I still had a great chance.”
Thomas now turns his attention to the FedEx Cup playoffs and the Ryder Cup and the opportunity to turn another good season into a great one.
“Looking forward to the week off and relaxing and getting the body and mind fresh again,” he said, “but try to keep this form up because I feel like I’m playing really well.”