Justin Thomas breaks three-year victory drought by winning RBC Heritage with thrilling playoff putt

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Justin Thomas faced one final test to demonstrate that his game was back on track, and he conquered it on Sunday at the RBC Heritage with a remarkable winning putt.
Approaching the 18th green at Harbour Town in a playoff against Andrew Novak, Thomas mentioned to his temporary caddie Joe Greiner that he had never sunk a putt on the final hole to win before. This time, he had a putt just over 20 feet.
The putt was executed perfectly, with Thomas dropping his putter in excitement even before the ball disappeared into the hole, bringing pure joy after nearly three winless years.
“That was really special,” Thomas remarked. “It was just as enjoyable as I had imagined it to be.”
Thomas played flawlessly under challenging dry and fast conditions on a demanding course, making a crucial 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole and finishing with a 3-under 68.
The most nerve-wracking moment occurred in the scoring trailer as Thomas anxiously watched Novak line up an 8-foot putt for the win. However, Novak missed the birdie putt, leading to a playoff where Thomas ultimately triumphed.
Reflecting on his victory, Thomas expressed how much he missed the feeling of winning. His previous win was at the PGA Championship in 2022, and he had been striving for another victory to solidify his return to form among the elite players.
Thomas clinched his 16th PGA Tour win at the RBC Heritage, moving up to sixth in the world rankings and securing a spot in the Ryder Cup standings.
Novak, despite falling short in the playoff, remained positive about his performance and acknowledged Thomas’s exceptional play in securing the victory.
The tournament saw a tight leaderboard, with Thomas, Novak, Si Woo Kim, and Maverick McNealy pulling away from the pack in the middle of the round.
Daniel Berger’s final-round 65 earned him a share of third place with McNealy, Mackenzie Hughes, and Brian Harman.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler had a strong showing but narrowly missed out on contention due to a costly double bogey. Despite the setback, Scheffler remained optimistic about his game.
Thomas’s victory was sealed with a birdie in the playoff, capping off a remarkable performance on a challenging course and marking a significant milestone in his career.