"Fantastic save Justin Thomas"; "What a shot!" – Fans react to 2x major champ's 'insane' recovery at PGA Championship 2025

Fans have reacted to Justin Thomas' recovery in the first round at the PGA Championship. The opening round concluded on Thursday, May 15, at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

On the 496-yard par-4 18th, Thomas made a solid tee shot, driving the ball 299 yards into the right fairway, leaving 198 yards to the pin. However, on the second shot, his ball travelled 202 yards but ended up in the left rough close to a shallow creek, about 61 feet 10 inches from the hole.

Thomas made the save with one foot on the grass and the other near the rocks, executing a delicate shot and managing to land the ball on the green, just 11 feet 11 inches from the cup. PGA Championship posted the video clip of Thomas' save on the 18th hole and wrote:

"Between a rock & a creek... What an escape from Justin Thomas! #PGAChamp"

Another popular account, Fore Play, shared a clip of Thomas' recovery on the 18th hole and wrote:

"This JT recovery shot was absolutely impossible."

Thomas, eventually scored a bogey on the hole.

Fans took to the comments section and praised Justin Thomas' shot.

"What a shot!" one fan commented.

"insane shot," another fan wrote.

"Incredible fantastic save JT," another fan praised.

Some fans wished that putt had dropped on the fourth shot and the PGA Tour star was able to make the par, whereas some humorously admitted they'd likely mess up such a situation completely.

"Amazing recovery I wish he would’ve made The putt," one fan commented.

"Was a sweet bogey," another fan wrote.

"I would either shatter my club on the rock, skull that ball in to the water, or rocket the ball across the green at best," one fan joked.

Justin Thomas posted a score of 2-over 73 in the first round with five birdies against five bogeys and a double bogey. The 32-year-old is tied for 73rd. Jhonattan Vegas is on top of the leaderboard with 7-under after the opening round.

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A look at Justin Thomas' performance in 2025

Justin Thomas has had a great start to the 2025 season. The 32-year-old ended his three-year winless drought on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage and won his 16th title. In 11 starts, he has made 11 cuts and has achieved one win, three runner-up finishes, and six top-10 finishes. He's currently positioned third in the FedEx Cup standings.

He won the RBC Heritage in the playoffs with a birdie against Andrew Novak on the first playoff hole. His three runner-up finishes came at the American Express, Valspar Championship and the Truist Championship.

Let's take a look at Justin Thomas' performances in the 2025 season on the PGA Tour:

• The Sentry: T26 (273, -19)
• The American Express: 2 (265, -23)
• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: T48 (281, -7)
• WM Phoenix Open: T6 (269, -15)
• The Genesis Invitational: T9 (282, -6)
• Arnold Palmer Invitational: T36 (291, +3)
• THE PLAYERS Championship: T33 (286, -2)
• Valspar Championship: 2 (274, -10)
• Masters Tournament: T36 (290, +2)
• RBC Heritage: 1-x (267, -17)
• Truist Championship: T2 (266, -14)