LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Justin Thomas didn’t win the PGA Championship in his hometown this week, but he walked off the 18th green after Sunday’s round at Valhalla feeling like a winner.
Thomas closed the tournament with a 3-under-par 68 in the final round to finish 13-under par, with a birdie on the last hole.
And, as he was showered with a thunderous ovation on his way off the green, there were tears in his eyes as he clapped back at the galleries.
“It was an unbelievable week,’’ Thomas said. “I’m bummed it’s over. I had so much fun. The fans were unbelievable. I played some really, really, really good golf. I played plenty well enough to win this week. I had a blast.’’
Valhalla has taken some criticism for how easily it was, yielding so many low scores, and for some of the logistical traffic issues that took place.
But Thomas made a strong pitch for the PGA to come back to the course.
“Selfishly, I hope it has an opportunity to come back,’’ he said. “I think Louisville shows out when they have the opportunity to and they did this week. Guys can say whatever they want about the golf course; it always produces unbelievable leaderboards and a great finish, and it looks like it’s doing the same again this year.’’
Thomas began the day at 10-under par and five shots off the lead.
In 40 of the previous 41 major championships, the winner was within four shots of the lead entering the final round.
Thomas’ win at the 2022 PGA is the only exception, as he came back from a seven-shot deficit.
“I played plenty well enough, really today, but all week,’’ Thomas said. “I just couldn’t make those putts I needed to kind of get the momentum. I understood I was going to need to shoot really, really low today.
“I think I just pressed a little too much and just wanted it a little too bad.’’
Rory McIlroy’s bid to win his first major championship at the place where he won his last one 10 years ago failed.
McIlroy, who filed for divorce just before he came to Louisville, never really got it going after a 66 in the first round and tied for 12th.
“[I] started the week well, and then I’ve obviously played decent over the weekend [68-67],’’ he said. “The 71 on Friday was obviously not what I was looking for. Obviously, [I] put myself too far back.’’
Jordan Spieth’s bid to complete the career Grand Slam failed as well, with the PGA the only major title missing from his résumé. Spieth was never truly in contention all week.
Brooks Koepka’s bid to defend his PGA title and win it for the fourth time in his career was derailed by a poor third round on Saturday — a 3-over-par 74.
Though he shot a 5-under-par 66 on Sunday, he finished 9-under for the week and in a tie for 26th.
“Not very good, I think it’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?’’ Koepka said when asked to assess his week. “I don’t think finishing [26th] is progress. Played good today, played good the other two days. [Saturday] I just didn’t have anything. I don’t think I did one thing good at all.’’
