By Staff and Wire Reports at Global Golf Post

Justin Thomas is going to be sorry to see 2017 end. Thomas won for the fifth time in this calendar year – and the first time in the 2017-18 season – handling difficult conditions and shaking off a double bogey early in the final round to pick up another trophy.

“It’s a great way to cap off the year. I’m really excited to do nothing for a while,” said Thomas, whose only remaining event this year will be the limited-field Hero World Challenge in early December.

The victory was the third for Thomas in Asia, where he also won the CIMB Classic in Malaysia in 2015 and 2016.

“It’s crazy how that works out. I don’t know if it’s the time of the year while I’m here or what it is but, I don’t know,” said Thomas, who birdied the 18th hole in regulation to get into the playoff.

“Obviously I have a lot of success, which is great. It’s kind of an added bonus I think. The fact of the matter is that I just happened to play well on those weeks. But definitely the fact that I have three of the seven (PGA tour) wins in Asia, it definitely has a pretty good vibe every year.”

In the playoff, both Thomas and Marc Leishman parred the par-5 18th hole the first time they played it. The second time, Leishman put his second shot in the water while trying to reach the green and made bogey.

“Disappointed but second (place) is not all bad,” said Leishman, who won twice on the PGA Tour in 2017.

Playing in cold, windy conditions, Thomas played the last three rounds in even par and finished 9-under-par 279 after opening the tournament with a  9-under 63 that included a 29 on his first nine holes. He’s looking forward to a long break now.

“I’m really tired and fatigued right now, said Thomas, who added it was too early to know if he will return to Asia next fall. “I’m just more excited about getting home right now.”

Driver: Titleist 917D2 (9.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana BF 60TX (tipped 1.5 inches)

3 Wood: Titleist 917F2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Blue 80TX

5 Wood: Titleist 915Fd (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 Tour Spec X-Flex

 

Irons: Titleist 716 CB (4 iron), Titleist 718 MB (5-9 irons)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM5 (52-12 F Grind, 56-14 F Grind), Vokey SM6 (46-10 F-Grind, 60)
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (46), S400 (52, 56, 60)

Putter: Scotty Cameron X5 Prototype (flow neck)
Length: 34 inches, 350 grams

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Republished with permission by Global Golf Post.