Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed headed to a playoff after finishing tied at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/woodland-maintains-lead-mcilroy-in-pursuit-in-hawaii-188493">Tournament of Champions</a> in Hawaii on Sunday.

Thomas had one hand on the trophy with a one-shot lead at the par-five 18th but hooked his three-wood second shot into a penalty area and could not find his ball in the waist-high tropical grass.

He ran up a bogey for a four-under-par 69, while <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/golf-tiger-woods-to-sit-out-saturday-fourballs-at-presidents-cup-268043">Schauffele</a> reached the green in two shots, only to three-putt for par and a round of 70 when a birdie would have won it at the Kapalua Plantation course on the island of Maui.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/presidents-cup-internationals-stun-us-to-lead-presidents-cup-4-1-267935">Reed</a> was already in the clubhouse after a round of 66 when he suddenly found himself heading to the playoff with his two fellow Americans at 14-under-par 278.

Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed headed to a playoff after finishing tied at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Sunday. Thomas had one hand on the trophy with a one-shot lead at the par-five 18th but hooked his three-wood second shot into a penalty area and could not find his ball in the waist-high tropical grass.

Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Reed headed to a playoff after finishing tied at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Sunday. Thomas had one hand on the trophy with a one-shot lead at the par-five 18th but hooked his three-wood second shot into a penalty area and could not find his ball in the waist-high tropical grass. He ran up a bogey for a four-under-par 69, while Schauffele reached the green in two shots, only to three-putt for par and a round of 70 when a birdie would have won it at the Kapalua Plantation course on the island of Maui. Reed was already in the clubhouse after a round of 66 when he suddenly found himself heading to the playoff with his two fellow Americans at 14-under-par 278.

Golf: Thomas, Schauffele, Reed in playoff at Tournament of Champions

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/justin-thomas-wins-bmw-championship-by-three-strokes-over-cantlay-244021">Justin Thomas</a> survived a "disaster" at the 72nd hole before beating Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele in a three-way playoff at the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions in windswept <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures%3A-lava-fissures-in-hawaii-135117">Hawaii</a> on Sunday.

Thomas clinched victory with a three-foot birdie at the third extra hole, the par-five 18th, at the Kapalua Plantation course on Maui.

Schauffele was eliminated at the first hole of sudden death while Reed fell two holes later as the 26-year-old Thomas earned his 12th PGA Tour victory.

He had one hand on the trophy with a one-shot lead playing the final hole of regulation but hooked his three-wood second shot into a penalty area and could not find his ball in the waist-high tropical grass.

He made a bogey for a four-under-par 69, while Schauffele had a three-putt par, missing a seven-footer for the win, and carded 70.

They fell into a playoff with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/golf-reed-moves-clear-as-woods-surges-in-bahamas-266577">Reed</a>, who earlier shot 66, at 14-under 278.

"For some reason I was supposed to win this week," Thomas said in a greenside interview after sinking his winning putt in semi-darkness.

"I got very, very lucky to even have that putt. I got very fortunate, but I also stuck to my process and tried to stay positive.

"Through 15 holes it was one of the best rounds I've ever played. I was in such control, tee to green, putting beautiful, my irons were awesome and then 18 was a disaster. It worked out so I can't complain."

Reed three-putted the second extra hole from the fringe and then missed an eight-foot birdie at the third playoff hole, his mood hardly helped when a spectator screamed "cheater" as his ball slid by the hole.

Reed has been in the spotlight since being hit with a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie in a waste bunker during last month's Hero World Challenge in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-dorian-pounds-bahamas-inches-towards-florida-coast-247403">Bahamas</a>.

Schauffele, who had been on the verge of successfully defending his title, said: "I should have won it.

"I know it, everyone knows it. I should have closed it out and didn't.

"I kind of did everything I was supposed to until the last moment.

"I know I'm good enough to hang with the best. I just need to be a little smarter when the time is right and I would have closed it out."

Justin Thomas survived a "disaster" at the 72nd hole before beating Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele in a three-way playoff at the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions in windswept Hawaii on Sunday.

Justin Thomas survived a "disaster" at the 72nd hole before beating Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele in a three-way playoff at the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions in windswept Hawaii on Sunday. Thomas clinched victory with a three-foot birdie at the third extra hole, the par-five 18th, at the Kapalua Plantation course on Maui. Schauffele was eliminated at the first hole of sudden death while Reed fell two holes later as the 26-year-old Thomas earned his 12th PGA Tour victory. He had one hand on the trophy with a one-shot lead playing the final hole of regulation but hooked his three-wood second shot into a penalty area and could not find his ball in the waist-high tropical grass. He made a bogey for a four-under-par 69, while Schauffele had a three-putt par, missing a seven-footer for the win, and carded 70. They fell into a playoff with Reed, who earlier shot 66, at 14-under 278. "For some reason I was supposed to win this week," Thomas said in a greenside interview after sinking his winning putt in semi-darkness. "I got very, very lucky to even have that putt. I got very fortunate, but I also stuck to my process and tried to stay positive. "Through 15 holes it was one of the best rounds I've ever played. I was in such control, tee to green, putting beautiful, my irons were awesome and then 18 was a disaster. It worked out so I can't complain." Reed three-putted the second extra hole from the fringe and then missed an eight-foot birdie at the third playoff hole, his mood hardly helped when a spectator screamed "cheater" as his ball slid by the hole. Reed has been in the spotlight since being hit with a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie in a waste bunker during last month's Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Schauffele, who had been on the verge of successfully defending his title, said: "I should have won it. "I know it, everyone knows it. I should have closed it out and didn't. "I kind of did everything I was supposed to until the last moment. "I know I'm good enough to hang with the best. I just need to be a little smarter when the time is right and I would have closed it out."

Golf: Justin Thomas survives 'disaster' to win Tournament of Champions playoff

Gary Woodland followed up a spectacular eagle on 15 with a birdie at the last to restore his three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy at the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Saturday.

The American, who moved to 17-under 202 after three rounds, said he had to keep his emotions in check during his five-under 68 after learning of the death of his grandmother the night before.&nbsp;

"It was a tough night last night but today was a good day. I played great," Woodland told the Golf Channel.

The 34-year-old provided the shot of the day on the par-five 15th when he banked a curving 64-foot putt off the flagstick for eagle and the outright lead, moments after McIlroy had pulled into a share with a birdie on 14.

McIlroy, on 14-under 205, was alone in second, a shot ahead of Australian Marc Leishman (68) in third on a breezy day at the scenic island course in Maui.&nbsp;

Woodland, who has won three times in 231 starts on the PGA Tour, said he had learned how to turn promising positions into victories.&nbsp;

"I've been in this position before but I'm a completely different kind of player now. I'll use all those experiences to my advantage and take what I can from them," he said.&nbsp; 
"I'll go out and play aggressive tomorrow and make a lot of birdies."

After his bogey-free 68, Northern Ireland's McIlroy said staying patient would be crucial if he was to notch his 15th career PGA Tour victory.&nbsp;

"I played in six final groups last year, most of them coming from behind, and I probably just pushed a little too hard trying to catch up, trying to play a perfect first six holes and it didn't really work out for me," he said.&nbsp;

"I've just got to go about my business. Hit fairways, hit greens again. I didn`t have a bogey today and I can go out and make that a goal tomorrow," he said.&nbsp;

"Try not to make any mistakes and pick off my birdies when I can. That hopefully might be good enough. But with the way Gary is playing, it might not be."&nbsp;

Scoring conditions in the PGA Tour`s first event of the season are expected to be ideal on Sunday as the winds that have gusted throughout the tournament are expected to die down.

Gary Woodland followed up a spectacular eagle on 15 with a birdie at the last to restore his three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy at the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Saturday.

Gary Woodland followed up a spectacular eagle on 15 with a birdie at the last to restore his three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy at the PGA Tour's Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Saturday. The American, who moved to 17-under 202 after three rounds, said he had to keep his emotions in check during his five-under 68 after learning of the death of his grandmother the night before. "It was a tough night last night but today was a good day. I played great," Woodland told the Golf Channel. The 34-year-old provided the shot of the day on the par-five 15th when he banked a curving 64-foot putt off the flagstick for eagle and the outright lead, moments after McIlroy had pulled into a share with a birdie on 14. McIlroy, on 14-under 205, was alone in second, a shot ahead of Australian Marc Leishman (68) in third on a breezy day at the scenic island course in Maui. Woodland, who has won three times in 231 starts on the PGA Tour, said he had learned how to turn promising positions into victories. "I've been in this position before but I'm a completely different kind of player now. I'll use all those experiences to my advantage and take what I can from them," he said. "I'll go out and play aggressive tomorrow and make a lot of birdies." After his bogey-free 68, Northern Ireland's McIlroy said staying patient would be crucial if he was to notch his 15th career PGA Tour victory. "I played in six final groups last year, most of them coming from behind, and I probably just pushed a little too hard trying to catch up, trying to play a perfect first six holes and it didn't really work out for me," he said. "I've just got to go about my business. Hit fairways, hit greens again. I didn`t have a bogey today and I can go out and make that a goal tomorrow," he said. "Try not to make any mistakes and pick off my birdies when I can. That hopefully might be good enough. But with the way Gary is playing, it might not be." Scoring conditions in the PGA Tour`s first event of the season are expected to be ideal on Sunday as the winds that have gusted throughout the tournament are expected to die down.

Woodland maintains lead, McIlroy in pursuit in Hawaii