Justin Thomas is shining after his Masters exit, and it’s evident in his recent performance at the RBC Heritage. The 15-time PGA Tour winner dominated the scoreboard until Friday’s second round.

Thomas had a strong start, tying the course record on Thursday with an impressive 61 for 10-under par. However, things took an unexpected turn during the third round.

Things got messy Saturday when Thomas’ ball landed in a muddy creek at the 11th hole at the Harbour Town Golf Links.

The course crew helped him move an “Alligator Warning” sign so he could hit the shot. However, when he hit the ball, the mud and water splashed back at him, covering his face, golf uniform, and club in mud.

Thomas’s caddie, Joe Greiner, joked, “I smell like a wet dog.” Despite the awkward moment, Thomas passed on a light-hearted joke in front of the crowd, saying

“Didn’t really seem worth it after all that.”

Although he managed to get the ball out of the water, Thomas ended up with a bogey. To make matters worse, he was charged with a one-stroke penalty at the second hole.

The 31-year-old pro’s tee shot landed in the waste area. Sadly as he removed the loose gravel around his ball, it moved slightly.

Despite these challenges, Thomas finished the round at 14-under par, narrowly behind Si Woo Kim, who overtook the lead by one stroke.

The PGA Tour pro last won a title back in 2022. Since then, he has been trying to end his winless drought. Thomas believes he “played well, but it was very easy; with some chips here and some putts there, it very easily could have been a couple over.”

He added, “I just fought and tried to stay patient and then was able to salvage a score to where I’m right there tomorrow.”

Thomas will tee off at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday alongside Maverick McNealy, aiming to claim the $3.6 million winning purse.

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