The American Justin Thomas won the PGA Championship on Sundayplayed at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa (USA), by beating his compatriot Will Zalatoris in the three-hole playoff.
Meanwhile, the Chilean Myth Pereirawho led the tournament until the last hole, watched his options fade title for a ‘double bogey’.
Five years after his first triumph, Thomas completed his double at the PGA Championship with the third-best comeback ever in the tournament, reaching the last round seven shots behind the leader.
Mito Pereira came in command of the tournament at the last hole and the pair was enough for him to succeedbut was convicted of a ‘double bogey’ that left him out of contention
Thomas was the only one of the three suitors to finish his round under par, at -3, while Zalatoris recorded a one over pair and Pereira, a five over par.
Both were saved on the last hole, thanks to Pereira’s ‘double bogey’, and they played for the title in the three-hole playoff which included the thirteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth.
They had a birdie on the opening hole, but Thomas took command in the secondthanks to another ‘birdie’ for the pair of Zalatoris.
Thomas had enough par on the eighteenth hole to get their hands on this trophy for the second time in their career.
Pereira, one step away from glory
A Pereira, born in Santiago de Chile in 1995 and a rookie on the PGA Tour, a par on the last hole was enough for him to be crowned champion at the Southern Hills Country Clubadding a go-ahead impact over Will Zalatoris and Justin Thomas, who had already finished their round.
But, after staying within millimeters of a ‘birdie’ on the seventeenth hole, missed the opening shot and sent the ball into the waterwhich caused him a penalty impact and put him against the wall.
He needed another three strokes to complete the hole alreadyended with a ‘double bogey’ that ended his dream and left him in third position in Tulsa.
His tournament ended with a total of 276 strokes (-4) and in this last round he delivered a card of 75 (5 over par).
At the end of his round, Pereira, number 100 in the world rankingregretted that this Sunday he has not managed to “play very well” and that he lacked “a couple of birdies” to complete his feat and be crowned.
It was also agreed that until last Friday his objective was “to pass the cut” and He promised that this disgust will not stop him for the future of his career on the PGA Tour.
He counted until the end with the support of his friend and compatriot Joaquín Neimann, who encouraged him with affection and that he was visibly hurt when he saw Pereira’s dream vanish on the final hole.
Neiman finished the tournament in twenty-third positionwith a total of two over par.
For his part, the Mexican Abraham Ancer finished the tournament with 279 strokes, one under par, in ninth position.
Arnaus, best Spanish
In the Spanish delegation, the Catalan Adri Arnaus ended his first participation in the PGA Championship with 283 total hits (+3).
Jon Rahm said goodbye with the best of his four laps to the field of the Southern Hills Country Club, with 68 strokes (2 under par).
The Biscayan, number 2 in the world, completed the tournament with a total of 286 hits (6 over par), with four rounds of 73 (+1), 69 (-1), 76 (+6) and 68 (-2).
Of the four Spaniards who started the tournament only Arnaus and Jon Rahm made the cut.