Justin Thomas left visibly emotional after Amanda Balionis’ comment in front of his wife

Justin Thomas won the 2025 RBC Heritage for his first PGA Tour title in nearly three years, and he was visibly emotional in his interview with Amanda Balionis.

Emotions were running high for Justin Thomas after he buried a victorious putt on the 18th at Harbour Town, securing his name in the annals of RBC Heritage glory. The American seemed to be holding things together before seasoned reporter Amanda Balionis stepped forward with a poignant question.

Thomas started the links competition in impeccable fashion, carding a 61 in the first round, which featured 11 birdies, and was a score that the course had not seen in decades. A one-stroke penalty in the second round for moving his ball when removing loose impediment from a waste area wouldn’t dampen his hopes, and he headed into a thrilling playoff against Andrew Novak on Sunday. A 21-foot two-inch birdie putt won him the tournament in walk-off fashion, and with his wife and young daughter by his side, a question about the win stirred some emotions.

“It’s been nearly three years, but you are once again in the winner’s circle. The last time you won, Jillian was just a girlfriend. Molly was not here. A lot has changed,” said CBS Sports’ Balionis. Setting the stage for a powerful, heartfelt response from Thomas, she then asked: “Why is this one so emotional for your whole family?”

With measured words, Thomas revealed his arduous journey of navigating through trials and tribulation to reign triumphant once more. “When it’s hard, it’s really, really hard,” confessed Thomas, barely restraining his emotions.

“But I’ve worked my butt off and stayed patient, stayed positive. I’ve got a great wife, great team, and a great daughter. She’s got her eyeballs showing right now,” he quipped briefly, acknowledging Molly’s presence before returning to his solemn reflection. “But you just take for granted sometimes when you get on those runs, and I didn’t realize how much I missed winning.”

It had indeed been a span of nearly three years since Thomas’ last taste of PGA Tour success at the 2022 PGA Championship. Following a patchy run of form, including a missed cut at the 2023 U.S. Open and a slump in early 2024, Thomas’ victory on Sunday was a welcome redemption.

In the interview, Balionis kept things grounded, asking Thomas about his mindset going into the final round. She revealed that she had spoken to Thomas’ father, who had told him to simply go out and enjoy himself.