Justin Thomas won for the first time since 2022 and is also his first win as a father and husband
The PGA TOUR’s fifth Signature Event, the $20 million RBC Heritage was contested last week at the iconic Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus-designed Harbour Town Golf Links from April 17-20. 2-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas secured his first TOUR win in nearly three years, prevailing in a playoff over fellow American Andrew Novak. Thomas rolled in a 21-foot birdie putt—the longest winning putt of his career—on the first extra hole to clinch his 16th PGA TOUR title, ending a winless streak since his 2022 PGA Championship title at Southern Hills.
The victory earned Thomas 700 FedExCup points and a winner’s purse of $3.6 million. The win also guarantees Thomas a return to The Sentry at Kapalua in 2026 and extends his PGA TOUR membership exemption through 2028, his age-35 season.
Thomas endured a difficult 2023 season, where he missed the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time and wasn’t selected for the Presidents Cup team. His game returned to the top 10 in 2024, and this win confirms his place once again among the elite. The result also propels him to World No. 6 and into the top six in the Ryder Cup standings.
30-year-old Andrew Novak has been knocking on the door in recent starts—including a runner-up finish at the Bermuda Championship, and strong showings at Torrey Pines and the Valero Texas Open. Though he fell short in the playoff, Novak’s performance moved him inside the top 35 in the Official World Golf Ranking, putting him in a strong position to qualify for both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship later this season.
Daniel Berger closed with a 65 to tie for third alongside McNealy, Mackenzie Hughes, and Brian Harman at 15-under.
Defending Champion Scottie Scheffler finished in a tie for eighth place at 12-under, five shots behind. While still winless on the PGA TOUR since the 2023 Travelers Championship, Scheffler’s season has featured five top-10 finishes in eight starts. His recent titles at the Paris Olympics and the 20 player Hero World Challenge in Dubai do not count as official TOUR victories.
What’s next: Zurich Classic of New Orleans:
The PGA TOUR now heads to TPC Louisiana for its only two man team-format event of the year, the $9.2 million Zurich Classic, from April 24-27.
- The event will feature 80 two-player teams, competing in Foursomes (alternate shot) on Rounds 1 and 3, and Four-ball (best ball) on Rounds 2 and 4.
- 400 FedExCup points will be awarded to each winning player.
Notable teams include:
- Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry – the defending champions from 2024
- Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama
- Will Zalatoris and Nick Dunlap
- Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge
- Robert MacIntyre and Thomas Detry
- Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick (UK)
- Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard (Denmark)
With a strong field and a format that offers a change of pace from stroke play, the Zurich Classic is one of the most fan-favoured and unpredictable events on the calendar.