US PGA Championship golf: 'Very, very special' – Justin Thomas wins play-off to claim title after Mito Pereira collapse

Justin Thomas held his nerve in glorious style to win a fraught play-off against Will Zalatoris in claiming a second US PGA title in five years at Southern Hills. The 2017 champion began the day seven strokes behind overnight leader Mito Pereira on minus two, but a 67 saw him reach five under as the unheralded Chilean collapsed on the final hole to card a 75 and agonisingly miss the play-off by a stroke. Ad/> Pereira, 27, held a one-shot lead on the 72nd hole, but emptied his drive into the water in the creek before running up a closing double-bogey six with Thomas and fellow American Zalatoris safely in the clubhouse.

PGA ChampionshipWoods withdraws as unheralded Pereira leads US PGA ChampionshipYESTERDAY AT 05:54 It was a monumental blunder that opened the door for Thomas to make his move having started Sunday with a slim chance (officially just 1.2%) of victory in Tulsa. The three-hole play-off saw the former world No 1 birdie the first two holes before a solid par on 18, boosted by a brave and booming drive, was enough to claim the season's second major and lift the Wanamaker Trophy. Four birdies in the closing 10 holes in regulation play also ensured Thomas matched John Mahaffey's tournament record recovery on the final day after he won the 1978 US PGA title at Oakmont from seven strokes behind in a play-off with Tom Watson and Jerry Pate.

/> «It's very, very special. I'm pleased,» said 29-year-old Thomas, who thanked his father Mike for helping him recover from a gloomy 74 on Saturday. «At this point any major is great; I don't care which one it is.

/> »I'm looking forward to talking to my grandma. I'm sure she was watching. «I know somewhere up there, grandpa was definitely watching today and pulling for me.