KAPALUA, Hawaii – Justin Thomas apologized Saturday afternoon for uttering an anti-gay slur under his breath when he missed a 5-foot par hole on the fourth hole of the Sentry Tournament for Champions.
“It’s inexcusable,” Thomas said. “First of all, I’m just apologizing. I’m an adult. I’m a grown man; there’s absolutely no reason for me to say something like that. It’s awful. I’m very shy. It’s not who I am. not, it’s not the kind of person I am or something I do.
“Unfortunately I did, and I have to accept it, and I’m very apologetic.”
Thomas said he was unaware that it had been picked up and that it had been a topic on social media until after his round.
Thomas finishes with a 5-under-68, and he is four strokes behind.
The PGA Tour said in a statement: “As he said after his round, we agree that Justin’s comments were unacceptable.”
He will likely be fined for conducting a professional, although the PGA Tour does not disclose conduct.
Scott Piercy lost two underwriting deals a year ago for sharing an anti-gay meme that mocked the fun of Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, when Buttigieg announced he was stepping down from his campaign. Piercy also referred to the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon.
Patrick Reed also had to apologize in Shanghai in 2014 when he swore in conjunction with an anti-gay sling after three-hole.
Thomas, who reached number one in the world one week last year, is the defending champion at Kapalua.
“It’s bad. There’s no other way to put it,” Thomas said. “I have to do better; I have to be better. It’s definitely a learning experience. I … I apologize to everyone and everyone I have offended, and I will therefore be better.”