Golf Alarab · Player profile
Justin Thomas
A powerful, technically complete player with two PGA Championship titles.
Justin Thomas paired high-level ball-striking with an aggressive competitive streak, winning the PGA Championship twice and the FedExCup in 2017. His 16 PGA TOUR victories include THE PLAYERS Championship and the 2025 RBC Heritage.
From early promise to the professional game
The milestones that shaped a distinctive career.
Justin Louis Thomas was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on 29 April 1993. Golf was part of family life: his father, Mike, is a PGA professional and served as his swing coach. Thomas starred at the University of Alabama, winning the Haskins Award in 2012 as the leading collegiate golfer before turning professional in 2013.
His first PGA TOUR victory came at the 2015 CIMB Classic. The breakthrough followed in the 2016–17 season, when he won five times, including the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, and secured the FedExCup. That season also brought him major honours and established him among the sport’s leading players.
Thomas added a second PGA Championship title in 2022 at Southern Hills, overcoming a seven-shot deficit in the final round before defeating Will Zalatoris in a playoff. He also won THE PLAYERS Championship in 2021 and recorded a career-low 59 at the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2017, joining a small group of players to break 60 in a PGA TOUR event.
His 2025 victory at the RBC Heritage was his 16th PGA TOUR win. Thomas has represented the United States in multiple Ryder Cups and remains known for a rhythmically aggressive swing, high ball speed and a willingness to take on demanding shots when tournaments are in the balance.
Defining achievement
The 2022 PGA Championship comeback
At Southern Hills, Thomas began the final round seven strokes behind. A closing surge carried him into a playoff with Will Zalatoris, whom he beat to claim his second Wanamaker Trophy and his second major title.
Career timeline
The seasons and titles that define the record.
Turns professional
Begins his professional career after college success.
First PGA TOUR win
Wins the CIMB Classic.
PGA champion
Wins the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
FedExCup champion
Wins the TOUR Championship and season-long FedExCup.
THE PLAYERS champion
Wins one of the leading events on the PGA TOUR calendar.
Second PGA title
Rallies from seven back to win a playoff at Southern Hills.
RBC Heritage
Takes his 16th PGA TOUR title at Harbour Town.
Shoots 59
Records a 59 at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Signature achievements
Six documented milestones from across the career.
PGA TOUR
16 victories
A career record that includes wins across multiple seasons and event formats.
PGA Championship
2017 and 2022
Won at Quail Hollow and Southern Hills.
FedExCup
2017 champion
Finished a five-win season by winning the TOUR Championship.
THE PLAYERS
2021 champion
Added one of the TOUR’s most prestigious titles to his record.
Low round
59 at Sony Open
Became one of the few TOUR players to record a sub-60 round.
RBC Heritage
2025
His latest PGA TOUR win at the time of this profile.
Playing style and legacy
What distinguishes the player and the lasting impact.
Thomas is recognised for an assertive full swing, strong iron play and the ability to generate speed without abandoning control. His best golf combines aggressive lines with the precision needed to attack tucked pins and contend on demanding championship courses.
His two PGA Championships, 2017 FedExCup and 2021 PLAYERS title create a résumé that extends beyond raw power. The seven-shot comeback at Southern Hills is a defining example of his resilience and ability to change a tournament’s direction late in the final round.
