HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Justin Thomas ended nearly three years without a victory Sunday by making a birdie putt from just outside 20 feet in a playoff at Harbour Town to beat Andrew Novak in the RBC Heritage.
Thomas played bogey-free in dry, fast conditions for a 3-under 68, making a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th that looked like it might be the winner until Novak, who grew up in South Carolina, matched him with a birdie of his own for a 68.
Novak, who has had three good chances to win in his last 14 tournaments, had an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation that was left all the way.
In the playoff, Novak missed from just inside 35 feet, setting the stage for Thomas. The putt was so pure that Thomas dropped his putter before the ball dropped, stooping over and clutching both arms to celebrate a 16th PGA Tour win that felt long overdue.
His previous win was the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in May of 2022. His game slipped and he missed the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time in 2023, and he was left off the Presidents Cup team a year ago.
Thomas and Novak finished at 17-under 267, three shots clear of anyone else.
LPGA Tour
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ingrid Lindblad won the JM Eagle LA Championship in her third start as an LPGA Tour member, avoiding a playoff when fellow rookie Akie Iwai bogeyed the final hole at El Caballero Country Club.
Playing a group ahead of Iwai, Lindblad shot a 4-under 68 to finish at 21-under 277. The 25-year-old former LSU star from Sweden made the last of her six birdies on the par-5 11th and parred the final seven holes.
Iwai followed a third-round 64 with a 69 to fall a stroke short. The 22-year-old Japanese player’s twin sister, Chisato, tied for 11th at 15 under after a 68.
On the par-4 18th, Iwai drove to the right over a bunker into rough, then hit a 9-iron from 150 that bounced near the flag and went off the back edge. From a good lie in choppy rough, she ran the downhill chip past the hole and missed the comebacker.
Lauren Coughlin (70), Esther Henseleit (64), Miyu Yamashita (66) tied for third at 19 under. Nasa Hataoka had a 63 to get to 18 under.
PGA Tour
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic (AP) — Garrick Higgo took advantage of Joel Dahmen’s late meltdown to win the windy Corales Puntacana Championship for his second PGA Tour victory.
Higgo got an unexpected share of the lead when Dahmen missed a 1-foot par putt on the par-3 17th for his second straight bogey, and won when Dahmen couldn’t get an 8-foot par attempt to fall on the par-4 18th.
Playing in the group ahead of Dahmen, Higgo also bogeyed the 17th, then parred the 18th for an even-par 72 and a 14-under 274 total. Dahmen shot 76 after leading after each of the first three rounds in the event he won in 2021 for his lone tour title.
Higgo, a 25-year-old left-hander from South Africa, also won the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree. The former UNLV player earned a two-year exemption with the victory, but doesn’t get a spot in the Masters.
Dahmen tied for second with Alejandro Tosti (68), Keith Mitchell (71), Jeremy Paul (72) and Michael Thorbjornsen (73). Thorbjornsen missed a 4-foot par putt on 18.
European Tour
SHANGHAI (AP) — Wu Ashun made five birdies on the back nine for a 6-under 65 that enabled him to overcome a four-shot deficit in the final round and win the China Open for the second time.
The victory came 10 years after the 39-year-old Wu first won the China Open. It was his fifth career victory on the European tour.
Li Haotong and Eugenio Chacarra of Spain, who began the final round tied for the lead at Enhance Anting Golf Club, each closed with a 1-over 72.
Wu finished on 14 under to win by one shot over Jordan Smith of England, who birdied his last hole for a 67. Yannik Paul of Germany shot 69 and finished alone in third, while Li and Chacarra shared fourth place with Zecheng Dou (70).
Korn Ferry Tour
LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (AP) — Neal Shipley won his first Korn Ferry Tour title when he holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the fifth extra hole to beat Seungtaek Lee in the Lecom Suncoast Classic in a tournament that ended Saturday.
Shipley, the low amateur at the Masters and U.S. Open last year, closed with a 7-under 64 to get into a playoff with Lee, who shot a 66. They finished at 18-under 266, one shot ahead of Korn Ferry points leader Hank Lebioda (65).
Shipley, who started the year with conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour, moved to No. 3 on the points list.
Other tours
Renato Paratore of Italy won for the second straight week on the Challenge Tour when he closed with a 4-under 66 for a one-shot victory over David Law and Sebastian Garcia in the Abu Dhabi Challenge. ... Shuri Sakuma finished with a 5-under 67 for a two-shot victory in the KKT Cup Vantelin Ladies Open on the Japan LPGA. ... Shinsil Bang closed with a 7-under 65 for a one shot victory over Dasom Ma in the Nexen Saint Nine Masters on the Korea LPGA.
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The Associated Press
