With a record-tying, lowest 36-hole score on Saturday and Sunday in tournament history, Justin Thomas has won the 2021 PLAYERS Championship. It is the 14th championship on the PGA Tour for the third-ranked golfer in the world. Thomas finished at 14-under for the weekend.
The win caps off a rollercoaster of a two-month run for Thomas.
"It's been a crappy couple months. I've had stuff happen in my life I never thought I'd have happen, and I mean, losing grandpa was terrible, and having to play a round of golf dealing with that, and then on top of that not playing well, it just was a lot, and it took a lot on me mentally," Thomas said following Sunday's round.
"I had to figure it out and had to get over it, and if I wanted to come to these tournaments and have a chance to win, then I needed to suck it up and get over it. This week was huge to win a big championship like this in front of fans again, which is incredible. You know, it tested me mentally, physically, emotionally, and I'm very proud of myself for getting it done."
Thomas shot a 4-under 68 Sunday to go along with an 8-under par, 64 Saturday; that 132 cumulative score ties Fred Couples and Rocco Mediate's 1996 record. He did not miss a green on Sunday until the final hole of the afternoon; no player since 1983 has ever hit all 18 greens in regulation at The PLAYERS Championship.
Thomas, a close friend of Woods, has also had the legendary golfer on his mind, following his near-life ending car accident last month.
"I kept telling everyone on my team or my family: I'm ready for something good to happen this year. It's been a pretty bad year and a lot of bad things have happened.
"I'd say this qualifies as something good."
36 and 54 hole leader Lee Westwood bogeyed 17 to assure Thomas the win with a par-finish on 18; Westwood would claim sole possession of second though with a birdie on the final hole of the day. He finished at -13 for the weekend, even par for the final round. Brian Harman and Bryson DeChambeau finished tied for third at -12.
Thomas is just the fourth player since 1960 to claim 14 tournament wins on the PGA Tour before turning 28, joining the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Johnny Miller.
Stay tuned to First Coast News for the latest from The PLAYERS Championship
