Justin Thomas has won his second career major after clinching the PGA Championship in a playoff with Will Zalatoris.
Thomas needed plenty of help to secure the victory, and Mito Pereira provided it in a tragic finish. The Chilean squandered a one-shot lead on the 18th hole as he drove into the creek off the tee and made double bogey.
That opened the door for Thomas and Zalatoris, who finished at 5-under 275 before playing a rare three-hole aggregate playoff for the Wanamaker Trophy.
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Thomas began the day seven shots back of Pereira and shot a 3-under 67, tied for the best round of the day. He missed a putt inside 15 feet on his final hole that would have gotten him to 6-under, but Pereira’s meltdown on 18 gave him a chance.
After finding the water on the right, the Chilean took a penalty drop, then missed the green left. He then failed in his effort to scramble from the rough for a bogey, slipping back into a tie for third with Cameron Young in an all-time meltdown.
Zalatoris rode a rollercoaster round full of mis-hits that included a penalty drop for an unplayable lie. He made birdie at the 17th to reach 5-under, then got up and down for par at the 18th to get into the playoff.
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Pereira began the day with a three-shot lead at Southern Hills. He played his last five holes in 3 over.
Speaking immediately afterwards, Pereira addressed his meltdown, speaking candidly about the buildup of pressure he felt on the final regulation hole.
“It’s tough to finish like that (after a) really good week,” he told CBS.
“On Monday I just wanted to make the cut. On Sunday I wanted to win. I hold to that and take this to learn for the future.
“On 18 wasn’t thinking about the water, I just wanted to put it into play.
“But I guess you have so much pressure in your body that maybe you don’t even know what you’re doing.”
The total purse for the tournament was set at $15 million – a $3 million increase from last year – with Thomas taking home $2.7 million, or 18 per cent of the total prize pot.
With a two-way tie for third place, Pereira’s fumble cost him dearly as he finished with $870,000 instead of the expected $1,020,000.
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