Justin Thomas had it rolling Friday at the Genesis Open, climbing into a share of the overnight lead at 10 under par. When play resumed Saturday morning, he kept it rolling, nearly holing his approach shot at the par-4 5th hole. But he appeared to be in a spot of bother at the par-3 6th, where his tee shot flew long and left, finding a particularly tricky section of the green.
Riviera Country Club’s sixth green has one remarkable feature: a bunker in the middle of the green. With the pin in the front right edge and Thomas on the green’s back left, he found himself with one option: flop it directly over the bunker. How’d he do? You’d better watch below to see for yourself.
DO NOT TRY THIS in your Saturday game. 😱#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/zRLfoC6FrO
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 16, 2019
The on-green up-and-down kept Thomas at 11 under and in solo possession of the lead as he neared the close of his second round.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen this type of short game magic at Riviera’s 6th hole, of course. You may recall some short-game wizardry from none other than Phil Mickelson in 2017:
Ladies and gentlemen … Phil Mickelson. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/6PnyoOXdko
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 18, 2017
But Thomas has the edge over Mickelson in one area: he didn’t take a divot.