Justin Thomas prevailed in a playoff at the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Sunday after making three additional trips down the par-5 18th at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. Thomas, who won this tournament in 2017, effectively added more than an hour to his victory march after spending most of Sunday afternoon with the lead.
Thomas finally holed a 3-footer for birdie in approaching darkness, edging Patrick Reed, also a past champion here, for the title. Defending champion Xander Schauffele, who had the 54-hole lead, dropped out after a par on the first playoff hole.
Schauffele took a one-shot lead into the final round but Thomas, who played alongside him in the final group, had the lead for most of the day. Reed had been finished with his round, a 7-under 66, for 45 minutes before Schauffele and Thomas stumbled through the closing hole in regulation.
In fact, after scrambling to a third-round 74, Reed entered the final day four back and four groups ahead of the leaders. He was a side story for much of the day before Thomas and Schauffele came back to meet him at 14 under.
Thomas, who won this event in 2017, caught fire mid-round on Sunday, making six birdies in an eight-hole stretch including four consecutive from Nos. 8-11 at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.
He and Schauffele had never played in the same group on the weekend of a PGA Tour event before Sunday. Thomas’s birdie run, coupled with Schauffele’s ability to keep himself in contention through a series of clutch putts, provided entertaining theater. Reed added highlights throughout the day, to the tune of seven birdies – including one at 18 that secured his spot in the playoff.
Even though Thomas seemed to lose a bit of steam with a bogey on No. 16 – where he left his par putt one rotation short – he still had a one-shot advantage on Schauffele and Reed when he teed off on the par-5 18th. There, however, he hit his approach there in a penalty area, took a drop and two-putted for bogey to drop to 14 under. Ultimately, he was able to redeem himself.
It’s Thomas’ 12th career PGA Tour title and his third win in his last seven starts.
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