Just a month after Justin Thomas shot a course-record 10-under-par 62 at TPC Sawgrass, the two-time major winner has tied the course record at another historic course.
In Thursday's first round of the RBC Heritage, Thomas fired a 10-under-par 61 at Harbour Town Golf Links, which ties the lowest professional score at the course, which has hosted the PGA Tour since 1969.
Thomas had a 5-foot putt on 18 to break the course record (60) but just missed. Previously, David Frost shot a 61 in 1994 and Troy Merritt shot a 61 in 2015.
After the round, Thomas spoke to the media about what he did well in a day with 11 birdies and one bogey.
“I’d say everything for the most part. I just played really solid. I feel like I didn’t do anything crazy. I just drove the ball well, which is very, very important out here, and I felt like it was just one of those days I put the ball in a spot that I had a lot of good numbers,” he said. “I had a lot of kind of full wedges to where you have to be a little conservative at times out here, I felt like they were kind of pins and angles and everything that I could be a little aggressive and just kind of got rolling with it.”
The 31-year-old didn't play up to his expectations last week at the Masters (T36) but Harbour Town is a completely different golf course than Augusta National.
“It’s a totally different style of golf,” Thomas said. “I’ve been playing really well, really solid. Felt good about things. I just didn't play well last week.”
It's been almost three years since Justin Thomas won, at the 2022 PGA Championship in May 2022. The 15-time PGA Tour winner has now put himself in prime position to end the drought this weekend at Harbour Town.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Justin Thomas Fires 61, Ties Course Record in First Round of RBC Heritage.
