Justin Thomas is back on top! After nearly three years without a win, Thomas delivered a jaw-dropping 20-foot birdie putt in a playoff at Harbour Town, sealing a hard-fought victory over Andrew Novak at the RBC Heritage.
It was a moment of pure joy—Thomas let go of his putter before the ball even dropped, clutching both arms in celebration as if releasing three years of bottled-up frustration.
Thomas played a flawless final round, carding a bogey-free 3-under 68 on dry, fast greens. His 25-foot birdie bomb on the 16th looked like the clincher—until Novak, the hometown hopeful from South Carolina, dropped one of his own to tie it up.
But in the playoff, Novak’s 35-footer just missed, and Thomas made magic.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed winning,” Thomas said, standing alongside wife Jill and their 5-month-old daughter Molly.
This win marks Thomas’ 16th PGA TOUR title, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
His last win? The 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
But with a return to form and a spot back in the top 10, JT is officially back among golf’s elite.
Credit to Andrew Novak—he gave it everything he had.
Though he narrowly missed his shot at glory, Novak walked away with pride.
“I thought I was more comfortable down the stretch than I have been in the past… Justin just went out and won it. There’s nothing you can really do about it.”
JT’s front-nine fire: Four clutch putts in a row starting on the 5th—birdie, par, par, then a bold 15-footer on No. 8.
Novak’s resilience: Scrambled from the trees for a miraculous par on 11.
Playoff drama: One miss from Novak. One perfect roll from Thomas. Game over.
With this performance, Novak leaps into the top 35 in the world rankings, putting him in solid position for the U.S. Open and within striking range of the British Open, as long as he stays in the top 50.
Daniel Berger surged with a 65, tying for third.
Maverick McNealy (70), Mackenzie Hughes (67), and Brian Harman (69) also shared T3.
Scottie Scheffler, the defending champ, briefly made a charge before finding water and finishing T8—his third straight top-10.
“I think I’m really close,” Scheffler said.
“Just a few key shots didn’t go my way. But overall, a solid week.”
Justin Thomas didn’t just win a golf tournament—he reclaimed his swagger. After years of doubt and disappointment, he’s back in the winner’s circle, proving once again why he’s one of the game’s fiercest competitors.
“Winning is hard. It’s really, really hard,” Thomas admitted, holding back emotion.
“I’ve worked my butt off, stayed patient, stayed positive.”
And now? He’s back on top.
(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
