Thomas Takes Two-Shot Lead at RBC Heritage After Solid Second Round
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Justin Thomas has grabbed a two-shot lead at the RBC Heritage, posting a 2-under 69 on Friday at Harbour Town. It’s his first 36-hole lead in more than four years, a notable milestone for a player who hasn’t won since the 2022 PGA Championship.
Thomas salvaged his round with a pair of crucial birdies on the crusty, breezy back nine. He’s clearly tired of discussing his winless streak but knows there’s plenty of golf left on a course that demands precision.
“The majority of it has just been pressing and trying too hard,” Thomas said about his drought. “I almost feel like I’m kind of past the point where fortunately you all have stopped asking me — which is nice — but I would also prefer to get that over with.”
Name
Events
Top 10
Money
Justin Thomas
240
81
$59,705,364
Si Woo Kim fired a blistering 64 to move into a tie for second, two shots back alongside Russell Henley (68). Kim’s round was particularly impressive, as he sat 8 under through 12 holes before cooling off.
Kim, who missed the Masters for the first time since 2016, didn’t hide his motivation. “I got so much frustrated last week watching Masters, but somehow I got to move on. So I’m just trying to focus this week.”
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler remains in contention despite an uneven round of 70. He’s four shots back and part of a group of six players within striking distance of Thomas. Andrew Novak (65) and Tommy Fleetwood (66) sit just three behind.
Thomas showed impressive shot-making down the stretch. On the 13th, he played a beautiful wedge to the wide front of the green and holed a 15-foot putt. Even more impressive was his play on the par-5 15th, where he hammered a 3-wood 287 yards around a towering tree to set up a two-putt birdie.
That shot also highlighted the adjustments he’s making with fill-in caddie Joe Greiner, who’s stepping in while regular looper Matt Minister recovers from a back injury.
“He’s still getting used to everything as much as I am,” Thomas explained. “We were talking about the shot and trying to hit it right at the green. The tree was kind of in the way. I was like, ‘I feel like it’s a good 3-wood number.’ And he was like, ‘Yeah.'”
“Then after I hit it, he goes, ‘I’m so glad you said that because I thought it was a perfect cut 3-wood, but I didn’t want to say that.’ That’s some of the funny adjustments and things we’re working with.”
Kim’s signature moment came early with a 3-wood from 275 yards that rolled out to 5 feet for eagle on the par-5 fifth hole. He then ran off four straight birdies around the turn, three from inside 8 feet and another from 15 feet on the 11th.
Scheffler, meanwhile, battled through some tough breaks. A mud ball on the par-5 fifth put him out of position, a three-putt cost him a bogey, and hitting a tree on the eighth led to another dropped shot. But he kept his perspective.
“Just little stuff like that that can turn your day the wrong way,” he said. “I fought pretty hard today and hung in there well to be four back on the weekend.”
The mystery of the day? Four broken golf grips—shafts snapped in half—spotted outside the scoring trailer. It’s a reminder that not everyone is treating this post-Masters week as a vacation.
For Thomas, the weekend represents a chance to recapture what made him so successful in the past.
“Something I feel like I did so well there for a couple of years is I just let tournaments come to me and I just trusted my ability,” he said. “That’s really been my key this week is I’m just trying to really trust my game and commit to what I’m doing.”
