Justin Thomas wins RBC Heritage in playoff to end drought

NEW YORK (Agencies): Justin Thomas made a birdie putt from 21 feet out on the first playoff hole to win the RBC Heritage on Sunday at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C., winning a tournament for the first time in nearly three years. Thomas and Andrew Novak, who was seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour, were at 17-under 267 through 72 holes. Novak was in the last pairing for the third time this season but couldn’t find a way to win. Thomas, a two-time major champion, hadn’t won since capturing the 2022 PGA Championship.

Thomas shot 3-under 68, ending his bogey-free round with three consecutive pars. Novak was off the mark on a would-be winning 8-foot birdie putt on the last hole of regulation and also had 68 for the round. Thomas led after the first and second rounds. He went ahead on the 15th hole Sunday with a 24 1/2-foot birdie putt, but Novak countered with a birdie from about 17 feet away on the 16th. Daniel Berger (65 on Sunday), Brian Harman (69), Maverick McNealy (70) and Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes (67) tied for third place at 14 under. England’s Tommy Fleetwood (70) was seventh at 13 under.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler had climbed the leaderboard with three birdies in a five-hole stretch until a double-bogey 7 on the 15th hole and a bogey on No. 17 doomed his round. He shot 70, tying for eighth place with Russell Henley (70) and third-round leader Si Woo Kim of South Korea (74) at 12 under. Kim was 2 over through 12 holes and his troubles continued with a double-bogey 5 on No. 14. Bud Cauley’s 64 marked the best score of the final round. That put him at 7 under and tied for 32nd place.