As it turns out, nobody is impervious to Sunday leader pressure, not even a young, nine-time PGA Tour superstar like Justin Thomas.
On a marathon Sunday at the Genesis Open, caused by weather precluding Thursday golf, Thomas, a popular, 25-year-old former major winner who is currently 4th in the world rankings, played his first 15 holes of the day (holes 4-18 of his third round) in 4-under to build a four-shot lead with 18 holes to go.
However, with no break between the third and fourth rounds, Thomas struggled badly in a final round characterized by chilling winds, playing those last 18 holes in 4-over 75, 10 strokes worse than both his second and third rounds combined, to ultimately finish one stroke behind fellow Kentuckian J.B. Holmes.
It would have been a 10th career victory for Thomas, but instead became a third career runner-up. Not that Holmes was an unworthy champion, but Thomas himself admitted after the round that he gave this one away.
