Golf
Justin Thomas Just Won the Largest Prize in PGA Championship History and Became the 12th Highest-Paid Golfer of All Time
Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies. When Jack isn't writing about sports, he's watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He's also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.
Get to know Jack Dougherty betterPublished22 May 2022
For the second time in his prestigious career, Justin Thomas is a major champion.
The 29-year-old defeated fellow American Will Zalatoris in a three-hole playoff at Southern Hills Country Club on Sunday to win his second PGA Championship and 15th PGA Tour event. The win also added $2.7 million to his bank account thanks to the record $15 million purse at the major championship.
With the hefty payday, Thomas jumped four players to reach the 12th spot on the Tour’s all-time earnings list.
Justin Thomas wins record $2.7 million prize with PGA Championship triumph
Heading into the final round of the 2022 PGA Championship, Thomas knew he needed a magical performance and a little bit of luck to even be in contention by the end of the day. Luckily, he got both.
Thomas, who started his final round seven shots back of leader Mito Pereira, fired a Sunday 67 to post the clubhouse lead at 5-under par. Pereira only needed a par on the 18th hole to win the tournament, but he put his drive in the creek and ended up with a double-bogey to finish one stroke back of Thomas at 4-under par.
JT then entered a playoff against Zalatoris, and he saved some of his best shots of the week for the three-hole showdown. He stuck a wedge to a couple of feet on the par-5 13th hole to match Zalatoris with a birdie. Then, he drove the green on the par-4 17th and two-putted for another birdie to take a one-shot lead to the 18th tee.
A perfect drive and a safe iron shot to the middle of the green set Thomas up for an easy, two-putt par. A few minutes later, he was lifting up the Wanamaker Trophy for the second time in five years.
With the win, Thomas banked a massive $2.7 million, which is the largest payout in PGA Championship history.
Justin Thomas is now the 12th-highest-paid golfer of all time
Thomas entered the week ranked 16th on the all-time PGA Tour earnings list. Thanks to 14 wins and one major, he had earned more than $47 million on the course throughout his career.
By picking up another $2.7 million at the PGA Championship, Thomas upped his career earnings to more than $49.9 million. He surpassed Zach Johnson, Bubba Watson, Ernie Els, and Jason Day on the list and is now the 12th-highest-paid golfer to ever live.
Expect plenty more wins and even more money coming Thomas’ way in the coming years.
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