"The Starter" recaps the week gone by in golf. PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, provides his insights for RG. This week, Elliott breaks down JT’s, Garrick Higgo’s, and Ingrid Lindblad’s victories.
Thomas Returns to Winner's Circle at Harbour Town
Justin Thomas finally silenced the doubters.
After nearly three years without hoisting a trophy, Thomas drained a 20-foot birdie putt in a playoff to defeat Andrew Novak and capture the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on Sunday. The victory ended a frustrating drought for the two-time major champion, whose last win came at the 2022 PGA Championship.
“I didn’t realize how much I missed winning,” an emotional Thomas said on the 18th green, standing beside his wife Jill and their 5-month-old daughter Molly.
The 31-year-old Thomas played flawlessly in the challenging final round conditions, carding a bogey-free 68 to finish at 17-under par. But Novak, a South Carolina native seeking his first PGA TOUR victory, matched him shot for shot with his own 68, setting up the dramatic playoff.
When Thomas’s perfectly struck putt found the bottom of the cup on the first playoff hole, he dropped his putter and clutched both arms in celebration before the ball even disappeared. The raw emotion displayed just how much this victory meant after his well-documented struggles.
The win marks Thomas’s 16th PGA TOUR title and signals a complete return to form for a player who had fallen out of the top 10 in the world rankings and missed the FedEx Cup playoffs entirely in 2023. His resurgence adds another elite name back into the mix of contenders as the heart of the major championship season approaches.
Novak, who has now come tantalizingly close to victory multiple times in recent months, took the defeat in stride. “I’m not as frustrated as I thought I would be,” he said. “Justin just went out and won it. There’s nothing you can really do about it.”
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler made a brief Sunday charge, pulling within two shots of the lead on the back nine before a costly double bogey derailed his chances. Still, his eighth-place finish marked his third consecutive top-10 result, continuing his remarkable consistency.
Higgo Survives Windy Conditions for Second TOUR Victory
While the game’s biggest stars battled at Harbour Town, a compelling drama unfolded in the Dominican Republic, where South Africa’s Garrick Higgo captured the Corales Puntacana Championship by a single stroke over a crowded leaderboard.
The 25-year-old lefty posted an even-par 72 in brutally windy conditions that produced the highest final-round scoring average in tournament history. His 14-under total was just enough to hold off a five-way tie for second that included pre-tournament favorite Keith Mitchell and first-round leader Joel Dahmen, who suffered a heartbreaking collapse with bogeys on his final three holes.
The victory is Higgo’s second on the PGA TOUR, following his breakthrough win at the 2021 Palmetto Championship. More importantly, it secures his playing privileges and opens doors to prestigious events, including next month’s PGA Championship and next year’s Sentry Tournament of Champions and THE PLAYERS Championship.
For Dahmen, the defeat was particularly painful. After opening with a course-record 62 on Thursday and maintaining his lead through 54 holes, his final-round 76 left him one agonizing stroke short. The popular veteran, who captured this event in 2021, couldn’t hide his disappointment after watching his lead evaporate down the stretch.
The challenging conditions at Corales Golf Club created a true test of survival, with only 16 players breaking par in the final round. Among those who navigated the wind successfully was 48-year-old Charley Hoffman, whose tie for ninth continued his impressive resurgence this season.
Higgo’s victory also vaults him to the top spot in the Aon Swing 5, potentially opening additional playing opportunities in upcoming Signature Events. For a player who began the season uncertain about his schedule, the win represents a complete career turnaround.
Lindblad Makes Immediate Impact with LPGA Victory
On the LPGA Tour, another young star announced her arrival in emphatic fashion.
Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad captured the JM Eagle LA Championship on Sunday in just her third start as an LPGA Tour member. The 25-year-old former LSU standout fired a final-round 68 at El Caballero Country Club to finish at 21-under par, edging rookie Akie Iwai by a single stroke when the Japanese player bogeyed the final hole.
Lindblad, who turned professional after a decorated collegiate career that included 13 victories, showed remarkable poise down the stretch. After making her sixth birdie of the day at the par-5 11th, she parred her final seven holes to post the clubhouse lead at 21-under.
Iwai, playing in the final group, pulled even with a birdie at the 16th but couldn’t convert a crucial par putt on the 18th after her approach bounded over the green. The missed opportunity left Lindblad celebrating her breakthrough victory much earlier than most expected in her professional career.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda finished tied for 16th at 14-under in her final start before defending her title at the Chevron Championship, the year’s first major, which begins Thursday at The Woodlands outside Houston.
Brendon Elliott, a distinguished PGA Professional, is best known for his dedication to the growth and development of junior golf. With nearly three decades of experience, Elliott has been recognized multiple times as one of the best instructors, both regionally and nationally.
Elliott's crowning achievement was being named the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award Winner, a testament to his exceptional skills and dedication. He is the founder of Little Linksters, an award-winning youth golf academy and nonprofit that works with kids of all abilities to help them develop a passion for golf. His innovative teaching methods and love for the game have made significant impacts on students and the broader golfing community.
Additionally, Brendon, a Golf Writers Association of America member, has become a renowned freelance golf writer, further solidifying his position as a top professional in the industry.
