Justin Thomas sets new record to win in Hawaii
Justin Thomas ended his record-breaking week in style as he bettered the previous best 72-hole score on the PGA Tour to claim a seven-shot victory in the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Thomas started the event by becoming the youngest man to register a sub-60 round on the PGA Tour with an opening 59 in Honolulu, and he followed that up by setting the lowest 36-hole total before equalling the record for the 54-hole mark.
Justin Thomas in the 2016-17 season:
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 16, 2017
T8
WIN🏆
T23
WIN🏆
WIN🏆
He's your #FedExCup leader. pic.twitter.com/Ud0tnRanro
That gave the 23-year-old a seven-shot lead heading into the final day and it was one he did not surrender as a closing 65 took him to 27 under par overall which secured back-to-back victories on the PGA Tour.
After backing up his win at last week's SBS Tournament of Champions with a tremendous wire-to-wire victory at the Waialae Country Club, Thomas told the PGA Tour's official website: "It's awesome, it's been an unbelievable week, unforgettable."
Thomas made a poor start as he missed a 10-foot putt for par on the fourth and another bogey loomed after he found a greenside bunker on the sixth, but a good up-and-down and an eight-foot putt kept him one over for the day.
He said: "I was really nervous (before the round). I just had a hard time getting in a comfortable mindframe. I felt like I was doing what I needed to do and making some pars, besides that bad bogey on four, but that par putt I made on six was huge."
Four birdies in the space of five holes from the eighth then dampened any hope the chasing pack had of catching up with the American.
First birdie of the day for leader Justin Thomas ...
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 16, 2017
He's back to 22-under. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/J9Yd4xThyu
He picked up another shot at the 14th, after a fine approach to within four feet, and although the world number 12 missed a putt from around 60 feet for a third eagle of the week at the 18th, he tapped in for a birdie to ensure his name would go in the record books once more after carding a score of 253 this week.
The week started with a 59 ...
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 16, 2017
It ended with Justin Thomas winning the Sony Open and setting the low 72 hole record on TOUR. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/RKs4PZcmPs
The previous lowest 72-hole score was 254, made by Tommy Armour III as he clinched victory in the Valero Texas Open in September 2003.
Thomas added: "I remember someone saying in a press conference I needed 10 under over the weekend, so I told Jimmy with two holes left, I was like 'we need to get one of these last two'. It's awesome."
England's Justin Rose finished runner-up following a score of 20 under par, with a closing 64 enough to finish above Jordan Spieth.
The world number five placed third after a fine seven under 63 saw him finish one shot behind Rose, while American compatriots Kevin Kisner and Jamie Lovemark claimed a share of fourth.
A hole-in-one is always on the shortlist for #ShotOfTheDay. pic.twitter.com/BP9E8uqNvu
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 16, 2017
Chez Reavie aced the 17th hole en route to a fourth-round best score of 61, with an eagle, eight birdies and a bogey, that saw him finish in a tie for eighth.
