TULSA, Okla. – The 2022 PGA Championship was decided in a playoff Sunday when Justin Thomas defeated Will Zatoris in one shot after 75 holes to secure the second Wanamaker Trophy of Thomas’s career. It was the first major playoff since the 2017 Masters and the first at a PGA Championship since Keegan Bradley’s win in 2011.
Thomas, who was seven shots down at the start of the day, posted a 3-under 67 for his first 18 holes at Southern Hills on Sunday, missing a birdie putt on the 18th that would ultimately have given him the overall victory. Zulatoris was up and down with a 1-over-71 and lost a 10-foot, 10-inch par putt on the last to tie Thomas at the clubhouse and force a playoff.
The duo played holes 13, 17, and 18 in a three-hole playoff, with both yardieing on the first, Thomas on the second beating Zatoris by yardage, and both scoring on the final par to proclaim Thomas the PGA Champion close.
By winning that PGA championship, Thomas became only the sixth golfer in history to come back in a final round of seven shots or more and secure a major title. According to DataGolf, he started the day with a 1.9% chance of winning the Wanamaker Trophy.
“It was a bizarre day. I definitely crossed one off the list. I’ve never won a tournament by retiring a ball on Sunday after he won it. “… Earlier in the week I was asked, ‘Which lane is safe?’ And I said, ‘No lead.’ This course is so tough but if you hit the fairways you can make birdies. I’ve been so patient and just can’t believe I found myself in a playoff.”
Zlatoris, meanwhile, achieved a second-place finish at a Major for the second time in his career (Masters 2021). It was also his fifth top eight finish in his last seven major starts.
PGA Championship Playoff 2022
Thomas | (4) | (3) | 4 | -2 |
Zalatoris | (4) | 4 | 4 | -1 |
- Hole 1 (par 5 13th): Thomas found the rough off the tee but hit his third shot 6 feet from the hole for a clutch birdie putt. Zlatoris appeared to have beaten JT by making it in two on the green but had to tap in for a birdie after a long eagle putt that slid wide to the left.
- Hole 2 (par 4 17th): Thomas drove the green in from the tee spectacular fashion, while Zalatoris attempted the same thing, only fortunately to land a few meters from a green bunker. Zulatoris missed a 12-foot putt and opted for par, while JT calmly tapped his 56-foot Eagle putt within 4 feet for a birdie and the lead.
- Hole 3 (par 4 18th): Both men made it onto the green in two strides, although Zalatoris’ approach slid down a ridge to move him farther from the hole. Zulatoris putt to within a few feet while Thomas batted his to within a foot for a par putt and the championship.
Mito Pereira, the 54-hole leader, stayed ahead for most of Sunday’s final round. A birdie putt on the 17th that would have given him a two-stroke lead stopped a half-turn from the hole. After settling on par, he found water on his tee shot from the 18th and missed the final hole with a double bogey, not only giving away his potential win but missing the playoff entirely.
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