How do you follow up on a dream round of 59?
If you’re Justin Thomas at the Sony Open, you go out and shoot 64 and set the PGA Tour’s 36-hole scoring record.
That’s exactly what the rising 23-year-old star did on Friday at Waialae. At the halfway mark, he’s 17-under par, that’s a mere 123 shots and he’s five clear of his closest competitor — Gary Woodland. Thomas now owns the 36 hole record by himself at 123. He broke the mark of 124 held by Pat Perez, David Toms and Jason Day.
“I think I’m getting more confident and I’m improving too,” said Thomas, last week winner at the Tournament of Champions.
If he can play well enough over the next two days, he will have won three of his last five starts. He can also jump into the world’s top 10, he currently is ranked 12th.
Thomas became the youngest player to shoot 59 on Thursday. On Friday, his 64 could have been even lower had it not been for the three bogeys that he finished with. He had seven birdies and an eagle to offset those mistakes. His eagle came at the par five 18th where he hit his second shot from 205 within nine feet of the hole and drained the putt. On Thursday, he made eagle at his final hole, the ninth, to shoot 59.
Round of the day was a 61 by Zach Johnson. He’s 10-under par and tied for third with Hudson Swafford and Justin Rose.
