KAPALUA, Hawaii – Justin Thomas apologized Saturday afternoon for taking an anti-gay breath when he missed a 5-meter well on the fourth hole of the Sentinel Tournament.
“It’s inexcusable,” Thomas said. “First of all, I apologize. I’m an adult. I’m a grown man; there’s absolutely no reason to say that. It’s terrible. I’m extremely embarrassed. I’m not who I am; it’s not the kind of person I am or whatever I do.
“Unfortunately, I did it and I have to do it and I’m very apologetic.”
Thomas said he did not know he had been picked up and that he was a topic on social media until after his round.
Thomas finished with a 5 under 68, and is four shots behind.
The PGA Tour said in a statement: “As expressed after his round, we agree that Justin’s comment was unacceptable.”
He is likely to be fined for misconduct by a professional, although the PGA Tour does not disclose the punishment for conduct.
A year ago, Scott Piercy lost two approval deals because he shared an anti-gay meme that mocked Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, when Buttigieg announced he was suspending his campaign. Piercy also referred to QAnon’s far-right conspiracy theory.
Patrick Reed also had to apologize in Shanghai in 2014, when he swore along with an anti-gay insult after three charges.
Thomas, who finished 1st in the world for a week last year, is the defending champion at Kapalua.
“It’s bad. There’s no other way to say it,” Thomas said. “I have to do better; I have to be better. It’s definitely a learning experience. I just … I deeply apologize to everyone and anyone I offended and I’ll be better for it.”