Justin Thomas Sets Sights on RBC Heritage Title with Impressive Opening Round
The RBC Heritage got underway on Thursday, with Justin Thomas carding an impressive 10-under-par 61 to take a three-shot lead into day two of the $20m PGA Tour signature event. According to Sky Sports, Thomas tied the Harbour Town Golf Links course record with his round, which included 11 birdies.
Thomas, speaking after his round, attributed his success to simply playing solid golf. “I just played really solid,” he said. “I feel like I didn’t do anything crazy. I just drove the ball well, which is very, very important out here, and I felt like it was just one of those days I put the ball in a spot that I had a lot of good numbers.” As reported by Sky Sports, Thomas narrowly missed setting a new course record, coming up just short on a six-foot putt for birdie at the 18th hole.
The world No 1, Scottie Scheffler, is currently in a tie for second place, three strokes off the lead. Scheffler, the defending champion, will look to mount a challenge on day two. Russell Henley, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month, is also in a tie for second, alongside Scheffler. As Sky Sports reports, former US Open champion Wyndham Clark is one stroke further back on six under, while fellow former major winners Matt Fitzpatrick and Brian Harman are in a grouping on five under.
Thomas’s impressive round was highlighted by his 14th career round of 62 or better, the most on the PGA Tour in the past 40 years. As noted by Sky Sports, Kevin Na’s 11 is next best, with Tiger Woods and Zach Johnson among a group with nine rounds of 62 or below. Thomas also tied the course record at TPC Sawgrass with a 62 during The Players Championship in March, securing it with 11 birdies.
Other notable performances on day one included Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, both of whom carded four under par. Rose, fresh from the disappointment of being edged out to the Masters title by Rory McIlroy in a play-off, will look to build on his momentum. Fleetwood, still in pursuit of a maiden PGA Tour win, will also be looking to make a move up the leaderboard. According to Sky Sports, Thomas hit the turn with a share of the lead at six under, before opening the back with a solitary bogey on his scorecard.
As the tournament progresses, fans can tune in to Sky Sports Golf for live coverage, with early coverage starting from 12.15pm on Friday, ahead of full coverage from 7pm. Alternatively, viewers can stream the action with NOW.
The RBC Heritage is being held at Harbour Town Golf Links, and the $20m PGA Tour signature event has attracted a strong field. With Justin Thomas leading the way, the competition is set to heat up on day two. Will Thomas maintain his lead, or will one of the chasing pack mount a challenge? Sky Sports will provide comprehensive coverage of all the action.
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