KAPALUA, Hawaii – Justin Thomas apologized Saturday afternoon for uttering an anti-gay insult when he missed a 5-foot pair in the fourth hole of the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
“It’s inexcusable,” Thomas said. “First of all, I’m just apologizing. I’m an adult. I’m an adult man; there’s no reason for me to say anything like that. It’s terrible. I’m extremely embarrassed. It’s not who I am; it’s not the kind of person I am or anyone. something I do.
“Unfortunately, I did, and I have to do it, and it makes me very sorry.”
Thomas said he was unaware that it had been picked up and that it was a topic on social media until after his round.
Thomas finished with a 5 of less than 68, and is four shots off the scoreboard.
The PGA Tour said in a statement: “As he expressed after his round, we agree that Justin’s comment was unacceptable.”
He is likely to be fined for conduct that is not appropriate for a professional, although the PGA Tour does not reveal punishment for conduct.
A year ago, Scott Piercy lost two approval deals to share an anti-gay meme mocking Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, when Buttigieg announced he was suspending his campaign. Piercy also referred to the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon.
Patrick Reed also had to apologize to Shanghai in 2014 when he cursed along with an anti-gay insult after three positions.
Thomas, who reached world number one for a week last year, is Kapalua’s defending champion.
“It’s bad. There’s no other way to say it,” Thomas said. “I need to do better; I need to be better. It’s definitely a learning experience. I just … I apologize deeply to everyone and anyone I’ve offended, and I’ll be better for it.”