Thomas holds on to beat Matsuyama at Kapalua
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Justin Thomas knew he was playing well enough to start the year with a victory in the SBS Tournament of Champions.
Thomas had a five-shot lead with five holes to play when he holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole.
Three holes later, he stood on the edge of the 16th green and watched Hideki Matsuyama stand over a 10-foot birdie putt that would have tied him for the lead.
Asked if there was ever a time in his golfing life that he feared blowing a tournament, Thomas replied, "Today count?"
Thomas then hit an 8-iron from 214 yards so pure that he stopped to admire it as it settled 3 feet away for birdie, and he closed by smashing a 369-yard drive — his 10th tee shot of at least 350 yards for the week — that set up a simple two-putt birdie for a 4-under 69.
Thomas avoided one big mistake on the ninth hole when he snap-hooked a tee shot into the native grass.
Not only did a TV spotter locate the ball, it was sitting high enough above the roots to hack it out into the fairway, and he escaped with par.
Matsuyama missed a 10-foot birdie putt that would have tied it.