JT Survives Playoff Versus Leishman to Win CJ Cup



Lately, it seems all Justin Thomas knows how to do is win golf tournaments and cash big checks. 

The 2016-17 FedEx Cup winner padded his stats and bank account with another win this week at the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges. Propelled by an opening-round 9-under par 63, Thomas played the next three rounds in even par, which was good enough to put him in a playoff with Australian Marc Leishman. 

After halving the first playoff hole, Thomas slammed the door with a great fairway wood approach. 


The Associated Press had the recap.

Justin Thomas beat Australia’s Marc Leishman on the second playoff hole Sunday to win the inaugural CJ Cup in South Korea and cap his breakout year on the PGA Tour.

Thomas sealed his fifth PGA title in 2017 — and his first of the new 2017-18 PGA season — when he birdied the second extra hole and Leishman made bogey after finding the water.

The pair went to a sudden-death playoff after completing the first U.S. PGA Tour regular-season event in South Korea tied at 9-under 279.

Thomas, who shared the overnight lead with Scott Brown, fell behind when he had a double bogey on the 550-yard par-5 No. 3 hole.

“I just kept telling myself it was a bad golf swing,” Thomas said. “It wasn’t a mental error or wasn’t a wrong judgment that we made but just a bad golf swing at a pretty bad time but I knew you are going make bogeys out here today.”

Thomas regained the lead and looked set for the win in regulation until he bogeyed No. 17, a 195-yard par 3 hole. But he made amends with a birdie at the last to join Leishman in the playoff.

“I really played some great golf after the third hole but it’s just such a long day with these conditions,” Thomas said.

Thomas said he is looking forward to some time off after his breakout season.

“I’m so excited to not do anything,” Thomas said. “I officially have nothing left in the tank at this moment.”

[Associated Press]

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