Another week, another course record shared by Justin Thomas. Making the short trip from Augusta, Georgia, to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, Thomas did not lose a beat while marching ahead of the rest of the field in the opening round of the 2025 RBC Heritage.
Firing a 10-under 61, Thomas tied David Frost and Troy Merritt for the course record at Harbour Town Golf Links. The round represents the lowest first round in the history of the RBC Heritage and makes Thomas the first player on the PGA Tour in 2025 to card multiple rounds of 62 or lower. He previously put together a record-tying effort at TPC Sawgrass while competing in the 2025 Players Championship last month.
Thomas now has 14 rounds of 62 or better in his PGA Tour career, according to Justin Ray, three more than any other player over the last four decades and five more than Tiger Woods.
“I just played really solid. I feel like I didn’t do anything crazy,” Thomas said. “I just drove the ball well, which is very, very important out here, and I felt like it was just one of those days I put the ball in a spot that I had a lot of good numbers. I had a lot of kind of full wedges to where — although you have to be a little conservative at times out here — I felt like they were kind of pins and angles and everything that I could be a little aggressive and just kind of got rolling with it.”
At 10 under, Thomas commands a three-stroke lead over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Russell Henley. Battling a bad back, former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark impressed in the early afternoon hours with a 65 of his own to stand four adrift.
Thomas got the job done in a conventional way Thursday. The 15-time winner connected on 16 greens in regulation, which topped the field, and he was a perfect 5 of 5 scrambling throughout his round. Without the need for speed off the tee at Harbour Town, Thomas laid back often and let his iron play do the talking.
The approach play was exquisite as he gained nearly four strokes with his scoring clubs to go along with a cooperative putter that added 2.50 strokes to his tally. This figure could have been even higher as Thomas faced a birdie opportunity on the last from inside 5 feet to secure the course record on his own, but watched as it drifted by.
He instead had to settle for 11 birdies on his round and a shared entry in the record books. Of course, Thomas is looking for more than just another record as he searches for his first win in nearly three years at a place where he is showing to be more and more comfortable by the round.
“I love it. I wish we played more places like it. I think more architects should design places like this. It kind of stands of test of time, I think,” Thomas said. “Especially if we continue to get weather like this and if these fairways get firm, the greens are already getting firm, it’s going to be everything we want by the end of the week. I just think it’s a really, really cool place that requires you to think on every single shot you’re hitting, and you can’t get lazy.”
The leader
1. Justin Thomas (-10): The two-time major champion was among the favorites heading into the Masters but ultimately settled for a T36 finish in the year’s first major championship. Now back to the friendly confines of the PGA Tour, he looks to regain the form that saw him finish runner up to Viktor Hovland at the Valspar Championship.
There is no doubt Thomas is competing at a high level, but what will it take for him to reenter the winner’s circle for the first time since the 2022 PGA Championship? The lack of driver needed at Harbour Town plays into his hands as it has become the weakest part of his game (thanks to the putter returning to life, mind you), but Friday’s round will have show us a lot regarding where exactly he stands. Thomas has fired plenty of low ones the last three years, but he has had trouble backing them up. He backs it up tomorrow, and he may back up into the winner’s circle on Sunday.
“Yeah, extremely different. It’s a totally different style of golf. I’ve been playing really well, really solid. Felt good about things. I just didn’t play well last week,” Thomas said. “Put some really good work in I felt like the couple days leading into the start today, and I felt prepared. It was just about going out and doing it, and it was nice to do so.”
Other contenders
T2. Scottie Scheffler, Russell Henley (-7)
4. Wyndham Clark (-6)
T5. Brian Campbell, Matt Fitzpatrick, J.J. Spaun, Gary Woodland, Brian Harman (-5)
T10. Patrick Cantlay, Tommy Fleetwood, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Stephan Jaeger, Matt Kuchar, Eric Cole, Sami Valimaki, Max Greyserman (-4)
Everyone seems to be getting antsy about Scheffler. Everyone but Scheffler, at least. The world No. 1 has remained patient in his return form hand surgery this offseason, insisting that he is getting closer and closer by the week. He came into his title defense fresh off a runner-up result in Houston and a top-five finish at the Masters where he carded four rounds of par-or-better.
Thursday was another nice step in the right direction for him as his steady ball-striking returned. Scheffler topped the field with +4.50 strokes gained approach and did just enough on the greens to cash in seven birdies against no dropped shots. If that type of iron play continues, his winning ways will as well.
“Definitely a step up from last week,” Scheffler said. “Like I said at the beginning of the week, I felt like I’ve been learning a good amount this year, and my swing has continued to improve. I haven’t felt like I’ve had any real setbacks, just kind of improving, sharpening and getting a little bit better, and today was definitely a day where I hit it really nice.”
2025 RBC Heritage updated odds, picks
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler: 2-1
- Justin Thomas: 9/4
- Russell Henley: 9-1
- Wyndham Clark: 22-1
- Patrick Cantlay: 25-1
I have not been the biggest believer in Thomas during his comeback train, and that is not changing after his opening 61. Scheffler’s iron play is scary to go against, but if going in another direction, Henley at 9-1 is a solid option given how high his floor is and the run of form he is currently on. Down the list, J.J. Spaun at 5 under and 40-1 draws some interest as well. He has been one of the best iron players in the world in 2025 and is within striking distance.