KAPALUA, Maui >> PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said Sunday morning that he wanted to see more playoffs on the PGA Tour. Well, he got his wish sooner than expected late Sunday afternoon as past Sentry Tournament of Champions winners Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed and Xander Schauffele took part in the first three-way playoff since this event moved here in 1999.

With the sun already 10 minutes below the horizon, Thomas made a 3-footer for birdie on the third playoff hole to win this tournament for the second time in four years. Reed could have forced a fourth playoff hole today, but missed an 8-footer for birdie to set up Thomas’ winning putt. All three golfers finished at 14-under 278 in regulation, but they got there in very different ways. It was the worst winning score since Vijay Singh shot 278 in 2007. That didn’t matter to Thomas. He was just happy he survived to get the win.

“I felt like I had total control of the tournament,” Thomas said. “I was doing everything well. We got lucky to where we had a chance and even more lucky that we were given more chances and then fortunate enough to get it done.”

With the wind howling for most of the round, Thomas had a two-shot lead over playing partner Schauffele and Reed, who was already in the clubhouse after shooting a 7-under 66, the best round of the day. Reed made a crucial birdie putt on the last hole in regulation to get to the 14-under mark. Schauffele parred the 16th to trail by one.

Reed remained in the clubhouse to watch Thomas and Schauffele finish their rounds. It didn’t appear a playoff was likely after Thomas walked off the 15th hole with a birdie to go to 16 under. But Thomas bogeyed the 16th after the wind took his drive for a ride to the right of the fairway. He still had a decent chance for par, but left it an inch short.

There could have been a huge swing at the par-4 17th, where Schauffele could have drawn even had he sunk an 11-foot putt for birdie or Thomas missed a 7-footer for par. Neither happened to keep Thomas up by one. Then came the famed par-5 18th, where Thomas would play the hole four times before finally prevailing.

“I know it was the worst hole we could have possibly played to try to beat daylight,” Thomas said. “We picked a 680-yard par-5 with the wind blowing 30. I think a 200-yard hole we could have gotten in five or six times. I was like, man, this is a pretty bad hole to play when you’re trying to beat daylight.”

Thomas held a one-shot lead going into the final hole in regulation over Reed and Schauffele, but brought both back in it with a bogey at the last after he hit his second shot deep into the weeds guarding the left side of the fairway. Schauffele appeared to have things well in hand when his approach landed on the green just 39 feet away for eagle. But he three-putted for par and Thomas missed a 9-footer for par to bogey to set up an unlikely playoff.

“I didn’t think there would be a playoff,” Reed said. “I was staying just because I had to. If all of a sudden you leave, that’s the one time I would actually have an opportunity.”

It was down to Reed and Thomas after the first playoff hole as both birdied and Schauffele settled for par after three-putting from 102 feet. They both parred the second playoff hole before heading back to the tee for the third as the sun hovered over the horizon. Thomas barely cleared the tall stuff with his second shot and Reed left his about 80 yards from the green as the sun set on the horizon. Thomas hit his to within 3 feet. Reed was about 8 feet from the hole, but his birdie putt caught the wind and sailed past Thomas’ ball mark.

Just after Reed stroked his putt, a fan in the stands yelled “cheater,” prompting Reed to look over at him and say, “What the …” It did not affect Reed’s putt since it was yelled after the ball was off his putter. When asked about it, Thomas said he didn’t hear it.

Schauffele said afterward that everybody knows he should have won it. Said it sucked, plain and simple, and blamed a huge gust of wind for sending his eagle putt in regulation scurrying 9 feet past the hole while his father looked on.

Thomas saved his chance at victory after flying the green on the first playoff hole and facing a difficult chip from near the grandstand.

It was a scruffy lie at best, but Thomas hit a beautiful shot that just slid by the hole, leaving him a 3-footer for birdie. Now, it was Schauffele’s turn. He faced a huge breaking left to right putt that he left 23 feet from the hole for birdie. He missed it and was eliminated from the playoff. Reed tapped in for birdie, insuring he would play on. Thomas made his, sending he and Reed to the second playoff hole that both would par.

“That chip was my best shot of the tournament,” Thomas said. “At that point, both guys had a better opportunity to win than I did. I was fortunate.”