Thomas passes Aiken’s Kisner to take PGA Championship

CHARLOTTE (WOLO) – Kevin Kisner’s 54-hole lead at the PGA Championship was gone after his sixth during Sunday’s final round. While Aiken’s own was able to reclaim a share of the top spot in a five-way tie on the back nine at Quail Hollow Club, Justin Thomas rose to the challenge to claim his first and golf’s final major championship on the calendar.

The 24 year old went a stretch of 14 holes Sunday without bogeying, netting five birdies over that span. The run included a dramatic putt on the 10th that saw the ball hang on the lip of the cup for 12 seconds before falling in, propelling Thomas to take the Wanamaker Trophy. While it’s the former Alabama Crimson Tide golfer’s first major, it’s his fourth win on the PGA Tour in 2017.

Kisner would be the last golfer still in the field left to chase down Thomas, who had a three-stroke lead coming off the 17th green before bogeying the 18th. Kevin needed to pick up two strokes on the last two holes, yet matched the par-3 17th before double-bogeying the 18th after attempting to hole out for eagle and force a playoff from over 200 yards away.

The South Carolinian, who’s parents each grew up in Charlotte and has extensive family ties to the Queen City, ended up finishing four-under for the event, shooting a 74 (+3) for his final round. It’s his highest finish at a major for his career, besting his showing at the 2015 U.S. Open (T-12th).

This weekend, Kisner struggled late on Quail Hollow’s famous closing stretch of 16, 17, and 18 that has earned the moniker of “The Green Mile”. Combining his Saturday and Sunday scores, the former Georgia Bulldog shot six-over in six total holes played.

Irmo’s Dustin Johnson, the number one ranked player in the world, tied four others for the low score in the PGA’s final round. The former Dutch Fork Silver Fox shot four-under (67) and finished tied for 13th, his best performance at a major this season.