'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Justin Thomas remembered Mito Pereira during the Champions dinner before the 2023 PGA Championship. Thomas made a toast in honor of the Chilean, saying that "this would not happen without him," referring to his victory last season.
This moment from the 2023 PGA Champions dinner was shown during the first episode of Full Swing season 2. The Netflix documentary series premiered this Wednesday, March 6, with Thomas being one of the main characters.
The footage shows Justin Thomas giving his speech during the 2023 PGA Champions dinner, in his role as reigning champion. During his speech, Thomas did not forget Mito Pereira, who almost deprived him of his second Major a year earlier.
This was part of what Thomas said during his speech (via Golf Magic):
"I personally wanted to have a cheers to Mito Pereira, because this would not happen without him..."
Justin Thomas won his second Major tournament at the 2022 PGA Championship. Five seasons earlier (2017), he had won the same event to claim his first trophy of this relevance.
What happened at 2022 PGA Championship ft. Justin Thomas and Mito Pereira?
The 2022 PGA Championship was played at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. From the beginning of the tournament, the three players who competed for the top positions had a leading role. They were Justin Thomas, Mito Pereira and Will Zalatoris.
Zalatoris finished the first round in T2 (66) while Thomas placed in T4 (67) and Pereira in T7 (68). A day later, Zalatoris was first with a second-round 65, while Pereira was second (second-round 64) and Thomas was third (second-round 67).
After the "Moving Day", Pereira led the tournament three strokes ahead of Zalatoris and Matt Fitzpatrick, while Thomas fell to T7, seven strokes behind the leader, due to his score of 74 for the round.
However, Thomas and Zalatoris were able to take advantage of an unlucky fourth day for Pereira. While Thomas played his round with five birdies and three bogeys, Zalatoris managed four bogeys and three birdies. Both tied with an overall score of 5 under pending Pereira's finish.
The Chilean reached the par-4 18th hole with five bogeys and two birdies, still leading the tournament by one stroke. However, he was unable to get the job done.
Pereira sent his drive from the 18th tee into the water, then took a penalty stroke and with his third shot found the rough. He then missed trying to chip for par and the ball went through the green and into the opposite rough. Finally, he two-putted for a double bogey and couldn't even include himself in the playoff that decided the title.
In sudden death, Thomas defeated Zalatoris by birdieing the second hole. Both had birdied the first.
