HILTON HEAD ISLAND: Justin Thomas rolled in a 21-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole, which was #18 at Harbour Town, to defeat Charleston native and Wofford grad Andrew Novak and win the RBC Heritage. The victory was the first for Thomas since the 2022 PGA Championship, and it’s the 16th of his career. Novak was denied his first PGA Tour win.
Both golfers hit beautiful drives on the playoff hole with Novak nine yards longer. Thomas hit his approach squarely on the green and the ball rolled past the pin to 21 feet. Novak’s approach was a little short of the green, but it hopped on and left him with a 34-foot putt. He left his birdie attempt three-feet short while Thomas’ curled right into the cup.
Thomas set the pace for the week with an opening round of 10 under par 61 tying the course record. He followed with a pair of 69s and then a three under 68 Sunday giving him nine straight rounds in the 60s at Harbour Town.
Thomas and Novak started the final round tied at 14 under, a shot behind Si Woo Kim. Thomas had the lead at -16 as he made the turn after a two under front nine. Novak, playing a hole behind, tied Thomas with a birdie at the ninth after playing out of a fairway bunker. Kim and Maverick McNealy were a shot back.
No one was able to catch the leading duo on the back nine. Brian Harman got to within a shot with a birdie at #13, but he found the water on #15 and dropped back. Scottie Scheffler got to within two shots at -14, but a double bogey on the 15th killed his chances.
Thomas and Novak each played the back nine at one under. Thomas birdied the 15th with a putt of just over 24 feet to take a one shot lead at -17. Novak tied things back up with a 17-foot birdie putt on the 16th.
On the par three 17th, Thomas missed his birdie putt from 16 feet, and Novak had to make a pressure-packed four footer for par to go to the 18th tied.
Thomas faced a 34-foot birdie putt to take the lead on the 18th and missed it by inches. Novak followed him to the green and was eight feet away from victory, but he missed on the low side to send the tournament to a playoff for the 17th time.
Daniel Berger closed with a 65 to grab a share of third with McNealy, Harman and Mackenzie Hughes. 2024 champion Scottie Scheffler slipped to a final round of 70 to finish T8 at 12-under.
Bluffton resident Brian Campbell had a 73 on Sunday and finished T32. Masters runner-up Justin Rose was at five under for the tournament, and former Clemson stars Lucas Glover and Jacob Bridgeman both came in at two under par.
RBC Heritage Final Leaderboard
Justin Thomas press conference
Andrew Novak media session
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