Justin Thomas beat Australia’s Marc Leishman on the second playoff hole to win The CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in South Korea on Sunday.
Thomas sealed his first victory of the 2017-18 season when he birdied the second playoff hole and Leishman had made bogey after finding the water.
The pair went to a sudden-death playoff after completing the first US PGA Tour regular-season event in South Korea tied at 9-under 279.
Cameron Smith of Australia finished one stroke back in third place at 8-under, with Whee Kim, the highest placed finisher of the 16 South Korean players in the field, finishing fourth at 7-under after closing with a 72.
Thomas won five times during the 2016-17 season, including his first Major at the 99th PGA Championship, which he won in August.
South Africa’s Branden Grace finished in a tie for 15th after rounds of 72, 67, 74 and 72 for a three-under total of 285. Charl Schwartzel closed with a level-par 72 after opening rounds of 71, 72 and 75 to end tied for 28th position on two-over 290.
Tour Championship winner Xander Schaueffele had a tournament to forget. The young American had started with a three-under 69 opening round, but dropped like a stone after that, with rounds of 82, 78 and 76 for a 17-over-par total of 305.
Photo: Matt Williams/Getty Images
