NORTON, Mass.

Justin Thomas had an answer for everyone in the Dell Technologies Championship with just about every club.

He could tell from the cheers that Jordan Spieth was off to a good start. A glance at the leaderboard indicated it was better than he imagined — birdie-eagle-birdie. And then Thomas stood on the fourth tee and saw for himself.

Spieth rolled in a 4-foot birdie putt to go 5 under through four holes of the final round at the TPC Boston.

Concerned his driver would get up in the air and sail into trouble, Thomas hit a bullet with hopes it would roll into the bunker. It was better than that, flying fast into the shaggy collar atop the steep bunker and onto the fringe, where he rolled in a 30-foot eagle putt.

“That was a definitely a bonus,” Thomas said.

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The game was on. That eagle allowed him to catch Spieth and Marc Leishman, and Thomas didn’t have to do much more on Monday.

Leishman faltered early on the back nine. Spieth lost his way in the middle. With two birdies and one clutch par save, Thomas closed with a 5-under 66 for a three-shot victory over Spieth that sent him into the off week feeling better than ever about his game, and his year.

Three weeks after he captured his first major at the PGA Championship, Thomas added another big title to a year filled with big moments. He won for the fifth time this season, the most of anyone on the PGA Tour. He moved up to No. 4 in the world.

And barring Spieth winning the final two FedEx Cup events to claim the $10 million bonus, Thomas became a heavy favorite to be voted PGA Tour player of the year.

Only he doesn’t sound as though he’s finished just yet.

Spieth wasted that great start by missing the 14th green with a 5-iron for bogey. Needing an eagle to stay in the game on the par-5 18th, Spieth pushed a 4-iron into a tough lie in the bunker, blasted over the green and made bogey for a 67.

Spieth was runner-up for the second straight week in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He lost a three-shot lead to Dustin Johnson on Long Island. There wasn’t much he could have done to stop Thomas, his best friend in golf since they were teenagers.

Spieth still moved to No. 1 in the FedEx Cup with one more event before the $10 million prize is decided at the Tour Championship.

Leishman shot 30 on the front to build a two-shot lead, only for it to vanish quickly.



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