Justin Thomas Fires 61, Ties Course Record in First Round of RBC Heritage

Justin Thomas holds the first-round lead at Harbour Town after an 11-birdie Thursday.

Justin Thomas ties the course record at Harbour Town, shooting an opening round 61. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Just a month after Justin Thomas shot a course-record 10-under-par 62 at TPC Sawgrass, the two-time major winner has tied the course record at another historic course.

In Thursday's first round of the RBC Heritage, Thomas fired a 10-under-par 61 at Harbour Town Golf Links, which ties the lowest professional score at the course, which has hosted the PGA Tour since 1969.

Thomas had a 5-foot putt on 18 to break the course record (60) but just missed. Previously, David Frost shot a 61 in 1994 and Troy Merritt shot a 61 in 2015.

After the round, Thomas spoke to the media about what he did well in a day with 11 birdies and one bogey.

“I’d say everything for the most part. I just played really solid. I feel like I didn’t do anything crazy. 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,” he said. “I had a lot of kind of full wedges to where 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.”

The 31-year-old didn't play up to his expectations last week at the Masters (T36) but Harbour Town is a completely different golf course than Augusta National.

“It’s a totally different style of golf,” Thomas said. “I’ve been playing really well, really solid. Felt good about things. I just didn't play well last week.”

It's been almost three years since Justin Thomas won, at the 2022 PGA Championship in May 2022. The 15-time PGA Tour winner has now put himself in prime position to end the drought this weekend at Harbour Town.