Thomas tackles TPC Sawgrass

 Justin Thomas claimed his 14th PGA TOUR victory at THE PLAYERS Championship. Thomas tackles TPC Sawgrass [View Online]( [Wire-to-Wire Logo] Justin Thomas claimed his 14th PGA TOUR victory at TPC Sawgrass. (PGA TOUR) Teeing Off [THOMAS MAKES EPIC COMEBACK, WINS THE PLAYERS]( JT stands for Justin Thomas. But on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, it stood for Just Terrific. Thomas trailed by three shots entering the [final round]( of THE PLAYERS Championship, but posted a 4-under 68 to clip [Lee Westwood]( by one shot to earn the coveted gold trophy. “I’m so happy to be a PLAYERS champion,” Thomas said. “This was probably one of the best rounds of my life from tee to green.” Thomas, 27, was outside of the cutline after the first 27 holes but turned it on, highlighted by an 8-under 64 on Saturday. It put him in position to chase on Sunday, and he got a jolt after his [eagle on the par-5 11th](. After that, he traversed the treacherous final stretch to add a 14th PGA TOUR title to his resume, which includes a FedExCup trophy and a PGA Championship. Thomas earned a whopping 600 FedExCup points, moved up eight spots to No. 2 in the [standings]( and took home a $2.7 million check. [divider] [THE MANY MOODS OF THE ISLAND HOLE]( The iconic 17th at the Stadium Course had a split personality last week. On Thursday, it played historically difficult with 35 balls going into the water, including [Byeong Hun An making an 11](. It was the second-most single-day total in the ShotLink era at THE PLAYERS, with the highest number (50) coming in Round 1 in 2007. Then came Friday when things were much tamer with only 13 balls finding the lake. During the weekend, only eight balls found the water on Saturday, and on Sunday only 10 tee shots splashed. Round 4 did see a [shank from Brendon Todd that even he had to laugh about](. But Adam Scott was the real winner on the 17th last week. His first three tee shots landed 1 foot, 7 inches (Thursday), 1 foot, 8 inches (Friday) and 2 feet, 6 inches (Saturday). But after those three birdies, the island green bit back on Sunday as Scott rinsed his tee shot as he fired to the far right pin location, coming up short before making double bogey. [divider] [DJ, MCILROY SURPRISE FANS AT THE PLAYERS]( Even though the pandemic has limited in-person interactions between athletes and fans, TOUR players have gotten creative and are still providing positive impacts. Take Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlory and Justin Thomas, for example. Johnson surprised a young fan at THE PLAYERS last week thanks to Dreams Come True. The reigning FedExCup champion reached out to Christian Blyden, 13, a hemophiliac who has been diagnosed with depression and ADHD. [Blyden has taken up golf through the First Tee](, and Johnson is his favorite player. [Johnson sent him a video message and invited him to THE PLAYERS](, and then the two were able to safely meet during a practice round, when Johnson provided Blyden a new set of TaylorMade clubs and bag. McIlroy reached out to front-line workers and [surprised them with special invitations to THE PLAYERS](. Mobile Health Unit workers from Optum’s Charity of the Day, Ascension St. Vincent’s, were invited to follow McIlroy inside the ropes during Round 1 at THE PLAYERS. McIlroy also surprised some young members of the [First Tee with a video call]( and answered a variety of questions, including his favorite One Direction song and what super power he desires the most. Thomas also met up with Bender, a fellow Alabama fan who was diagnosed with a brain tumor one year ago. He is still undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, but was able to join Thomas at THE PLAYERS during a practice round, where they walked and talked on the 16th and 17th holes. And Bender [was right there]( at the end when Thomas won THE PLAYERS on Sunday. [divider] [TOUR ROARS TO THE HONDA CLASSIC]( Former PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Sungjae Im will return to defend his first TOUR title at The Honda Classic, where he’ll be competing against a field that boasts 18 major champions. PGA National (Champion) will welcome Joaquin Niemann, the highest-ranked golfer in the [FedExCup standings]( in the field, as well as some of the event’s most recent winners. That includes Keith Mitchell (2019), Rickie Fowler (2017), and Adam Scott (2016). Padraig Harrington, a two-time winner here, is back at PGA National on a Sponsor Exemption. Other notable names in the field thanks to a Sponsor Exemption include Chase Koepka and [Kamaiu Johnson, who is playing his third TOUR event this season after his inspiring story caught the eyes of so many in the golf world](. Phil Mickelson will be playing his second week in a row on TOUR following THE PLAYERS. The winner will earn 500 FedExCup points. Video Of The Week Justin Thomas’ near albatross on No. 16 at THE PLAYERS Championship The Turn MIC CHECK “I wish I could talk to him. I know he’s watching.” – [Justin Thomas](, referring to his grandfather Paul who passed away in February “I was pleased with how I battled it out with not much of a game today. I kept myself in there and gave myself a chance … I feel like I can still contend with some of the young lads out here.” – [Lee Westwood](, who finished solo second at THE PLAYERS [divider] BY THE NUMBERS 2 – Aces at THE PLAYERS last week. Watch them here: [Brendon Todd (No. 8, Round 2)](, [Denny McCarthy (No. 3, Round 2)](. 45 – Consecutive holes without a bogey for Lee Westwood before making a six on the par-5 second hole on Sunday. 6 – Number of birdies in a row by Sungjae Im on Friday. His streak spanned from No. 15 through No. 2 after starting his round on the 10th. Im is the 11th player to string together that many at THE PLAYERS, with the previous six-birdie streak coming from Justin Rose in 2018 (No. 9-14, final round). 8 – Number of fewer shots Byeong Hun An needed on the 17th hole on Friday after [Thursday’s octuple bogey 11](. An made a routine two-putt par. 17 – Consecutive PLAYERS cuts made by Sergio Garcia, the longest in tournament history (second: 14, Brad Faxon 1992-1995, 1997-2006). 32,000 – Approximate amount of shots streamed live thanks to the return of “Every Shot Live” to THE PLAYERS. 32 – Day 1 matches in the upcoming World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play (March 24-28). [Don’t forget to sign up early]( and tune in to the Bracket Reveal Show on Monday, March 22 at 10 a.m. ET to see who will go head-to-head. 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