sport news DEREK LAWRENSON: Justin Thomas reaps reward of rallying call from caddie with ... trends now
What a strange final day at the PGA at Southern Hills.
A group of nervous players lacking major experience tossed the Wanamaker Trophy to one another and kept dropping it in turn, before Justin Thomas stepped forward and said: ‘Well, if you don’t want it…’
Here are some other talking points.
Justin Thomas beat Will Zalatoris in a play-off to win the US PGA Championship on Sunday
1. A Good week for English golf
Yes, the longest drought goes on. By the time the next PGA is staged in upstate New York it will be 104 years since the last English winner.
But four players in the top 13 and ties is not exactly terrible, is it? It was disappointing that a different Matt Fitzpatrick turned up after an exceptional first three rounds but that can happen when you have never been close to the lead in a major.
He is just 27 and one of those studious, fiercely ambitious types who will learn and be ready when the next chance comes along.
England's Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood ended three under at Southern Hills
Incidentally, the next major to be staged is the US Open at Brookline — where he just happened to become the first Englishman in 102 years to win the US Amateur in 2013. Tommy Fleetwood followed up his best finish at the Masters (14th) with his best finish at the PGA (tied fifth, with Fitzpatrick) and had a cute line as to whether this meant he is back to his best.
‘If I can continue this trend at the next two majors, it will certainly be a good summer!’ said the man who has finished runner-up in the US Open and the Open. Too much can be read into five birdies in the last seven holes to clamber over a great many bodies but there were lots of encouraging signs for Fleetwood.
Good to see Tyrrell Hatton and Justin Rose (both tied 13th) book their exemption spots next year as well and set themselves up for the majors to come.
2. A tale of two caddies
Leeds United fan Billy
