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Justin Thomas wins PGA Championship in thrilling playoff finish against Will Zalatoris after Mito Pereira's heartbreaking implosion

Justin Thomas is the PGA Championship winner for a second time. (Getty Images: Richard Heathcote)

Justin Thomas has won the PGA Championship for the second time, beating fellow American Will Zalatoris in a play-off.

Thomas began the final day seven shots back, before launching a spectacular comeback — with three birdies on the back nine — to secure a place in the three-hole play-off.

Both players birdied the 13th hole, before Thomas drove the short par-4 17th for another birdie ahead of Zalatoris' par. The Kentucky native then parred the 18th to clinch a one-shot win. 

Chilean golfer Mito Pereira had led for most of the final round, before hitting his tee shot in the water on the 18th to finish tied for third.

Thomas, who first won the PGA Championship in 2017, impressed in difficult conditions over the first two days at Southern Hills Country Club but a poor Saturday performance left him with a lot of work to do.

After a slow start to his final round, Thomas gathered momentum to start putting pressure on the leaders throughout his back nine.

Mito Pereira led with one hole to go, but a wayward tee shot ruined his hopes of becoming the first Chilean golfer to win a major title. (AP: Eric Gay)

But even so, Pereira seemed to have the field at arm's length for the most part as Zalatoris, Cam Young and Matt Fitzpatrick failed to make ground on the Chilean.

With a one-shot lead going into the 18th hole, a horrible tee shot from Pereira led to a double-bogey six which took him from the outright lead to a shot behind the playoff pair.

Zalatoris had to make a clutch par putt on the 18th green in regulation to make the playoff, and faced off with Thomas in the three-hole shootout.

But Thomas kept his nerve to edge Zalatoris by a single shot and secure the Wanamaker Trophy again.

See how the action unfolded in our live blog.

Key events

Live updates

By Dean Bilton

Pinned

Leaderboard

  • Justin Thomas -5 (67)
  • Will Zalatoris -5 (71)
  • Cam Young -4 (71)
  • Mito Pereira -4 (75)

Justin Thomas beat Will Zalatoris by one shot in a three-hole playoff.

By Dean Bilton

That's all from the PGA Championship

I've got to be honest, I thought this final round was fizzling away a couple of hours ago when none of the contenders looked interested in putting the hands out and really grabbing this tournament. It took a final-hole implosion from Mito Pereira and some seriously impressive golf from Justin Thomas to make this a memorable major, and I think we certainly have a deserving champion.

Thanks for joining me this morning, look forward to seeing you at the US Open for 2022's third major.

By Dean Bilton

A very deserving winner

He had to come from a long way back today, but Justin Thomas was probably the stand-out performer over the first two days of this tournament. He was part of an unlucky group of players who were stuck playing in the worst weather conditions on each of those first two rounds, but managed to remain in contention despite that.

Thomas has been playing stellar golf all year without being able to close. A few opponents may have had to fall away to make today's comeback a reality, but he's deserved a bit of luck. When it got to the playoff, he played just about flawless golf.

He's already had the phone call from his mate Tiger Woods, and Justin Thomas channelled a little bit of the Cat in the closing stages of this tournament.

By Dean Bilton

Key Event

Justin Thomas wins his second PGA Championship!

From seven shots back at the start of the day to champion in a playoff, what a day for Justin Thomas. In a leaderboard packed with rookies and players yet to taste victory at the highest level, it taught one of the best players in the world to show them how to handle the moment and step up to the occasion.

Justin Thomas is now a two-time major winner, and as the tears roll down his face you can see what it means to him.

By Dean Bilton

Thomas for birdie on 18

He has two putts to win the PGA Championship for the second time. This one is down hill, so expect him to nurse it down there pretty gently. Got to be careful not to whack this one.

It's a thing of beauty from Justin Thomas! He rolls it just past the hole and will tap in for the title...

By Dean Bilton

Zalatoris putting for birdie at 18

The ball is nestling along the fringe. He'll have to whack this up the hill and let it break sharply right to left. Don't know what the data guys would say, but I give him about a 1% chance from here.

It's a good putt, but not good enough. He has a pretty comfy one left for par.

By Dean Bilton

Thomas in the 18th fairway

A good shot here could just about seal it.

He has nine iron, and adrenaline bursting through him.

And Justin Thomas has found the green! That's all he had to do, stay away from the bunkers and give yourself two putts to win.

In all likelihood, Zalatoris will have to make an incredibly difficult birdie putt or Justin Thomas will be our champion.

By Dean Bilton

Zalatoris in the 18th fairway

A reminder, Justin Thomas currently has a one-shot lead in the playoff. This is the last of three holes. Zalatoris needs to make something happen right here, right now.

Zalatoris has 182 yards to the hole. Needs to hit a cut.

Tell you what, that is not bad.... but it's trickling away from the hole along the edge of the green. Still, he'll have a birdie putt no matter how difficult it may be. That was a low, cutty little swing that very nearly came off brilliantly.

By Dean Bilton

Zalatoris on the 18th tee

Just has to hit the fairway, give yourself a chance.

He does that, but he's a long way back from JT's drive. He has a chance, but he'll need to hit the iron shot of his life coming in.

By Dean Bilton

Thomas on the 18th tee

He hit an absolute beauty in regulation, a low stinging cut. What's he got this time?

It's even better! That was a VERY provocative line, and for a second he might have worried about a bad kick into the creek to the right of the fairway. But it scooted straight and is in the perfect position.

By Dean Bilton

To the 18th we go

I don't need to tell you what can happen on this hole, but I will anyway. About 30 minutes ago, Mito Pereira had a one-stroke leading going into this final hole. He sliced his tee shot into the creek, made a double-bogey six and finished a shot out of the playoff.

Justin Thomas leads by one, but nothing is safe on this the toughest hole at Southern Hills Country Club.

By Dean Bilton

By Dean Bilton

Thomas to take the lead in the playoff

For birdie and the lead with one playoff hole to play.

NEVER. IN. DOUBT.

Justin Thomas is a hole away from his second PGA Championship. He leads the playoff by a stroke.

By Dean Bilton

Zalatoris putting for birdie

Such an important putt. Eight feet for birdie.

And he's pushed it. Zalatoris chases after it quickly and taps in his par, but that could be very costly indeed.

By Dean Bilton

Thomas putting for eagle

I might have been a bit generous with the 20 feet estimation, it's more like 35.

It's not an easy putt, but major champions have a knack of making these.

Didn't give it enough. A little nervous about sending that past the hole and down the hill I think.

He's marking his ball and letting Zalatoris putt next, but he should be safely in for birdie from there.

By Dean Bilton

Zalatoris looking to make some magic

A real tester for the short game here, needs to fly it over the bunker but get it to stop quickly after the hole.

And that is exactly what he does! A very classy chip that will leave him about eight feet for birdie. Great comeback.

By Dean Bilton

Pressure on Zalatoris now

Right, how do you answer that?

Uh oh. It's avoided the creek, which I didn't think it would for a moment, but that one has missed miles to the right. He'll have a very delicate little chip over the bunker to come.

Advantage JT.

By Dean Bilton

Thomas on the 17th tee

What has he got?

OH IT'S STUNNING! Justin Thomas finds the back of the green with a spectacular tee shot! He'll have 20 feet for his eagle!

By Dean Bilton

So we head to 17

A fantastic hole these last two days since they brought the tee box up. This is a par-four the players have to try to get to in one. Length isn't a problem, but you have to hit such a precise fade to find the green and avoid the nasty bunkers and creeks near the green.

This will be fun to watch.

By Dean Bilton

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