FINISH TO REMEMBER: JT RALLIES FROM SEVEN DOWN, WINS PGA IN PLAYOFF

TULSA—Justin Thomas capped a breathtaking comeback by beating Will Zalatoris in a threehole playoff to win the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship on Sunday after Chile’s Mito Pereira blew a one-shot lead on the final hole.

The playoff ended a day of pulsating drama at Southern Hills Country Club that saw Thomas stage one of the greatest fightbacks in major history and Pereira suffer one of the most calamitous collapses.

Seven back at the start of the final round, Thomas seized his chance in the playoff to clinch the Wanamaker trophy with a tap-in par on the 18th to beat Zalatoris by one.

It was the second major victory for Thomas, who also won the PGA Championship in 2017.

“I had a good feeling,” said Thomas. “Although I was so far back, there wasn’t that many guys ahead of me, and it’s a very tough golf course and anything could happen.”

Tiger impressed

Thomas’ rally from seven shots back was the largest final round comeback in the PGA Championship and it certainly impressed his good friend Tiger Woods, who also knows something about comebacks.

The 15-time major winner, who withdrew from the tournament on Saturday, offered “Big congrats” to Thomas on social media.

“He kept himself in this championship until the very end, and once he got his shot he didn’t look back,” said Woods, who played his second event after a car crash 15 months ago nearly cost him his right leg.

Thomas, seemingly out of contention at the start of the final round, fell further behind with a bogey on No. 3 to sit eight behind the leader. But he would drop just one more shot the rest of the way while ringing up five birdies for a three under-67 to close out regulation at 275.

Zalatoris, with a birdie on the 18th, joined Thomas, and with their work done, retreated to watch Pereira, the leader by one, play the final hole.

Pereira had withstood brutal heat, punishing winds, rain and cold, but on Sunday, the pressure of a major was his undoing.

Sputtering finish

Playing in just his second major, the 27-year-old Chilean, who had displayed nerves of steel the entire week, finally cracked on the 18th tee, sending his drive skidding so far right and into the creek.

The rattled Chilean would take a double-bogey, leaving Thomas and Zalatoris to fight for the trophy.

“Today I was really nervous,” admitted Pereira. “I tried to handle it a little bit but it’s really tough.

“I thought I was going to win on 18, but it is what it is. We’ll have another one.”