Pro golfer Justin Thomas has apologized for muttering a homophobic slur after missing a putt during the third round of the Sentry Championship in Hawaii. Thomas was caught on a camera microphone passing the remark after missing a seven-foot par putt on the fourth hole on Saturday, The Golf Channel reported.
"It's inexcusable. I, first off, I just apologize," he said in a statement after the round. "I mean, there's no excuse. I'm an adult. I'm a grown man, there's absolutely no reason for me to say anything like that. It’s terrible. I mean, I'm extremely embarrassed, it's not who I am, it's not the kind of person that I am or anything that I do, but it's, unfortunately, I did it and I have to own up to it and I'm very apologetic."
Thomas said he was not aware that he had said the slur until after the round, according to Fox News.
"I'm speechless ... I found out when I got done on the golf course or when I got done with my round. I mean, it's bad. There's no other way to put it," he said.
"I need to do better, I need to be better, it's definitely a learning experience, but, yeah, I just, I deeply apologize to everybody and anybody who I offended and I'll be better because of it."
Responding to the incident, the PGA said in a statement that Thomas would be facing repercussions for his actions.
"As he expressed after his round, we agree that Justin's comment was unacceptable," the statement read, per CBS News. "He is likely to be fined for conduct unbecoming a professional, though the PGA Tour does not disclose conduct punishment."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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