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Justin Thomas fended off challengers with a strong back nine Sunday on the way to a 4-under-par 68 to win the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill.

By winning for the first time this year, Thomas moves atop the FedExCup standings going into the last of the PGA Tour’s three playoff events next week at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. Thomas was the 2017 FedExCup champion.

Thomas, who began the day ahead by six strokes, finished at 25-under 263 for a three-shot victory. He capped the tournament with a birdie.

Patrick Cantlay was the runner-up after a 65 put him at 22 under for the tournament. He’s up to No. 2 in the FedExCup rankings.

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan shot 63 and ended up third at 20 under.

Tony Finau, who was in the final group with Thomas and Cantlay, wasn’t a factor despite playing the first six holes of the back nine in 4 under. His 69 left him at 18 under in fourth place.

Thomas, who posted an 11-under score Saturday, bogeyed Sunday’s first hole and didn’t pick up a birdie until the par-5 fifth hole.

Cantlay and others moved within striking range.

Cantlay also bogeyed the first hole, but he was 5 under across the next nine holes to cut the margin to two strokes. Thomas responded with a birdie on the 11th hole.

They both birdied at Nos. 13 and 15. When Cantlay bogeyed at No. 16, the margin was back at four strokes before Cantlay birdied the final two holes.

Matsuyama, the second-round leader who floundered in Saturday’s third round, turned out to be one of the prime pursuers in the early portion of Sunday’s by playing the front nine in 5 under. Matsuyama shot 63 in the final round, making it the second time in three days he posted 63 for the lowest round of the day.

Matsuyama needed only 20 putts Sunday.

Tiger Woods shot a final-round 72 and won’t advance to next week’s season-ending event. It was his worst round of the tournament and he finished tied for 37th at 7 under.

Because of weather concerns, the final round was adjusted and tee times altered. The start of the round was delayed, and then golfers went off the first and 10th tees in threesomes.

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)