Justin Thomas wins PGA Championship, last golf major of 2017

Past champ and World No. 7 Jason Day rebounded for a 1-under-par 35-35=70 in the final round of the 99th PGA Championship to conclude on 1-under 283, up seven spots to T9, seven in arrears of champion Justin Thomas.

“I knew know matter what my game was at I had to be patient”, Thomas said. “It just was about going out and doing it”.

“It was a insane day”, admitted Thomas.

A major breakthrough had seemed a foregone conclusion for this elegant, cocksure young player, especially after he contended in the U.S. Open earlier this season.

Ten years later, they have won consecutive majors and head into the FedEx Cup playoffs battling for PGA Tour player of the year. “Just the experience of going through it (helped)”.

Thomas, 24, went into the final day two shots off leader Kevin Kisner but carded a superb three-under 68 in his final round to finish eight under par at Quail Hollow.

But nobody could go with Thomas, who won by two shots from American Patrick Reed, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Italy’s Francesco Molinari after a series of chasers rose and fell away. Thomas made the turn after draining a long putt on No. 9 and the mojo carried over on No. 10.

“Once it got there I felt it would go in but it didn’t so I acted like a child and had a tantrum”.

Kisner dropped to a tie for seventh at 280 after shooting 74.

Stroud shocked himself to make the final group with a 71 despite a bogey-bogey finish.

The 2015 US PGA Championship victor Day effectively shot himself out of the tournament during Saturday’s third round with a quadruple-bogey at the par-4 18th hole leading to a nightmare 77. He chipped across the green and two-putted for bogey but stayed in front. “Jealousy definitely is”, said Thomas. Going for birdie, Thomas’ shot sat on the lip of the hole for 12 full seconds before dropping in.

With about two hours before completion, five golfers shared the top spot. At 10, he pulled a drive through the trees that could have ended his chances.

“I gave it everything I had coming in”, Oosthuizen said.

“What did I play, the last three in 6 over the last two days?”

His chip-in on the par three 13th was just as spectacular, rolling into the heart of the hole from 13 metres to give him a two-stroke lead. “Had to be an unbelievable watching today in terms of spectating and sitting at home watching on TV”.

Matsuyama had birdies on Nos.

“I’m excited to get back”. As he looked across to the 18th green at Quail Hollow, wondering how he could even keep it on the green, a leaderboard reminded him of how many players were suddenly in the mix at the final major of the year.

Jordan Speith’s bid to complete a career grand slam appears to be fizzling.

Thomas parred the par-five 15th, but his playing partner Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama – one of the form players of 2017 – birdied the same hole to join Reed a shot back. He shot 70 for the round and tied for ninth at 283.

The weather, hot and muggy, is fine right now, but the forecast is for a 50 percent chance of late-afternoon thunderstorms.