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For all that Justin Thomas has accomplished – his two-stroke victory ahead of Danny Lee in the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in South Korea on Sunday was his 11th PGA Tour title – there’s still the sense that the 26-year-old is just getting started.
Thomas won the CJ Cup for the second time in three years and posted his fourth victory in Asia by shooting a final-round 67 to finish at 20-under par, two clear of Lee, who had a share of the lead until Thomas birdied the 14th hole in the final round.
Since the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs in August, Thomas has been on a tear. He won the BMW Championship at Medinah, finished T3 in the Tour Championship and T4 in the Safeway Open before winning in South Korea.
“It’s kind of bizarre knowing I’ve won four times (in Asia),” Thomas said. “I obviously like the golf courses and I feel like they fit my game well but it must be all the beef, maybe that’s what it is.
“I don’t know. I feel comfortable over here. I think it’s at a good time of year. But I worked really, really hard to make sure I was ready for this tournament and I was glad that it showed.”
Thomas led by three Sunday until he bogeyed the par-3 17th hole. Lee, who shot 69 Sunday, still had a chance at the finishing hole but his eagle putt narrowly missed before Thomas closed out the victory with a final birdie.
“Before my first tee shot Thursday, if someone’s going to give me solo second, I would take it in a heartbeat, but it’s also very disappointing,” said Lee, a 29-year-old New Zealander who was born in South Korea. “I really wanted to win the CJ Cup. It means a lot to me to win in front of the Korean fans and all my Korean family but it is what it is.”
Hideki Matsuyama, Gary Woodland and Cameron Smith tied for third, five strokes behind Thomas.
Jordan Spieth finished T8 in his first start of the 2019-20 season. It was Spieth’s third top-12 finish in his past five starts, including T12 at the Wyndham Championship and T6 at the Northern Trust.
Thomas will try to add to his overseas success at the Zozo Championship in Japan this week but not before he celebrates his 10th victory since the start of the 2016-17 season.
“I’m ecstatic to have a trophy, another one of these in the library,” Thomas said. “I still haven’t mastered how to write my name in Korean, I think I need to do that but luckily I’ll have at least a year’s practice before next year.”
RESULTS | MONEY LIST
Staff and Wire Reports