PGA Tour star makes most of Rory McIlroy absence to win £2.7m and end 1064-day wait
Justin Thomas ended a near three-year wait for victory by winning the RBC Heritage in a play-off, banking himself £2.7m, with Rory McIlroy absent after choosing to take the week off
Justin Thomas finally ended his lengthy winless run by claiming the RBC Heritage on Sunday. The two-time major winner had to go back to 2022 for his last victory and his latest success was his first in 1064 days.
The American has a stellar CV with his last victory coming when he claimed the PGA Championship in 2022 - the second of his two majors. Since then though he's struggled to make an impact and needed a play-off to get back in the winner's circle.
His victory at Harbour Town in Hilton Head, South Carolina came in dramatic fashion with Thomas sinking a 21-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to seal his victory.
That earned the 31-year-old a hefty £2.7million. He was in good form throughout the event - beginning with with a 61 on Thursday. That matched the Harbour Town course record. Thomas then posted back-to-back 69s to enter Sunday just a shot back going into the final round.
Thomas said on CBS: "Winning's hard. It's really, really hard. I've worked my butt off and stayed patient, stayed positive. I've got a great wife, great team, have a great daughter ... Just take it for granted sometimes when you get on those runs. I didn't realise how much I missed winning. Battling out there today was just so much fun."
He went on to add: "It's so hard to force the issue on a course like this. It's so fast and so much fun to play. I'm really proud of myself. I've never made a putt to win a tournament before, of length. Been fortunate to have a lot of tap-ins but that was pretty cool. It wasn't as fun as much as I thought it would be."
Thomas is a previous world No 1, topping the rankings in 2018, and alongside his two major successes has also won the prestigious Players Championship at Sawgrass.
Rory McIlroy, fresh from winning the Masters, chose to bypass the tournament and will return at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans next week. It means he will fulfil a promise to Shane Lowry that he'll be on the green to defend their title.
After completing the Grand Slam at Augusta the 35-year-old opted for some quality time with his family in Northern Ireland. He had already hinted last November that he might cut the event from his calendar, regardless of whether or not he emerged victorious at August.
Lowry didn't want to put any pressure on McIlroy after his epic triumph at the Masters but has revealed that McIlroy is raring to get back in the swing of things. "We'll be there," he confirmed to Golf Week. "I talked to him [on Wednesday] morning. We're good to go."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
19 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Wales schools to compete in NFL Flag UK Championships
Ysgol Gwynedd in Flint and Prestatyn High School will represent Wales at the UK NFL Flag 2025 National Championships in Leeds on Tuesday, June 17. The schools secured their places by winning their age categories at the Welsh NFL Flag National Championships, held on May 6 at Cardiff Metropolitan High School one the 15U Girls' tournament (Image: NFL) Ysgol Gwynedd triumphed in the 11U Mixed division, while Prestatyn High School won the 15U Girls' tournament. Dr Chris Long, NFL head of youth football and grassroots development, said: "Thank you to all the schools from across Wales who have competed in this year's championship, and its preceding qualifiers. "We are so pleased to see more and more people of all ages playing NFL Flag, some coming back year after year and developing their game, some getting their first taste of American football. "We look forward to welcoming all our champion teams in Leeds later this month." A record 480 schools entered this year's UK competition, with 28 teams now set to compete for national Flag Wales National Championships at Cardiff Metropolitan University (Image: NFL) Among them are Mary Immaculate High School, who took the 13U Mixed title alongside Ysgol Gwynedd and Prestatyn High School as Wales' three national champions. NFL Flag is the league's official non-contact football programme and has rapidly gained popularity in the UK since launching in 2017. More than 120,000 people now play across 1,000 schools. Flag football is set to debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It is played by more than 20 million people in over 100 countries. The sport is non-contact, fast-paced, and emphasises inclusivity—making it accessible to players of all ages and abilities. Female participation is especially strong, with the 15U Girls category among the fastest-growing divisions. The International Federation of American Football and the NFL continue to invest in the sport's development from grassroots to elite levels. The format's growing popularity reflects a global rise in interest, driven by its simplicity and emphasis on teamwork, strategy, and athleticism. With their recent victories, Ysgol Gwynedd and Prestatyn High School have already demonstrated that Welsh schools are competitive on a national level. Their achievements have also helped raise the profile of the sport in North Wales, encouraging more young people to get involved. For more information about the NFL Flag programme or how to participate, visit
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Wales schools to compete in NFL Flag UK Championships
Ysgol Gwynedd in Flint and Prestatyn High School will represent Wales at the UK NFL Flag 2025 National Championships in Leeds on Tuesday, June 17. The schools secured their places by winning their age categories at the Welsh NFL Flag National Championships, held on May 6 at Cardiff Metropolitan High School one the 15U Girls' tournament (Image: NFL) Ysgol Gwynedd triumphed in the 11U Mixed division, while Prestatyn High School won the 15U Girls' tournament. Dr Chris Long, NFL head of youth football and grassroots development, said: "Thank you to all the schools from across Wales who have competed in this year's championship, and its preceding qualifiers. "We are so pleased to see more and more people of all ages playing NFL Flag, some coming back year after year and developing their game, some getting their first taste of American football. "We look forward to welcoming all our champion teams in Leeds later this month." A record 480 schools entered this year's UK competition, with 28 teams now set to compete for national Flag Wales National Championships at Cardiff Metropolitan University (Image: NFL) Among them are Mary Immaculate High School, who took the 13U Mixed title alongside Ysgol Gwynedd and Prestatyn High School as Wales' three national champions. NFL Flag is the league's official non-contact football programme and has rapidly gained popularity in the UK since launching in 2017. More than 120,000 people now play across 1,000 schools. Flag football is set to debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It is played by more than 20 million people in over 100 countries. The sport is non-contact, fast-paced, and emphasises inclusivity—making it accessible to players of all ages and abilities. Female participation is especially strong, with the 15U Girls category among the fastest-growing divisions. The International Federation of American Football and the NFL continue to invest in the sport's development from grassroots to elite levels. The format's growing popularity reflects a global rise in interest, driven by its simplicity and emphasis on teamwork, strategy, and athleticism. With their recent victories, Ysgol Gwynedd and Prestatyn High School have already demonstrated that Welsh schools are competitive on a national level. Their achievements have also helped raise the profile of the sport in North Wales, encouraging more young people to get involved. For more information about the NFL Flag programme or how to participate, visit
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS College sports changed forever as judge approves groundbreaking move
Judge Claudia Wilken has approved the settlement in the House v. NCAA case - which now paves a pathway to allow colleges and universities to directly pay their athletes and changes the dynamic of American collegiate athletics forever. A decade ago, college athletes were treated as amateurs and were not directly compensated for their contributions to athletic departments, nor were they able to be paid by outside companies. With the rise of name, image, and likeness agreements in 2021, athletes could sign endorsement deals with companies and collectives of donors could pool money which could be given to athletes. Now, with this landmark settlement, the NCAA's member institutions will be allowed to pay their athletes directly in the form of revenue sharing agreements. The focal point of this case began with Arizona State swimmer Grant House, who sued the NCAA and its five biggest conferences at the time - the SEC, Big Ten, Big XII, ACC, and Pac-12 - to lift restrictions on revenue sharing. Wilken gave approval to a final proposal after months of negotiating multiple finer points of the deal - including roster limits.
