Justin Thomas took to Twitter on Monday to apologize for having a spectator ejected during the final round of the Honda Classic.
Thomas won the tournament in a playoff over Luke List on Sunday but was agitated by a fan he believed had gone over the top in taunting him and List late in the round at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The reigning FedEx Cup champion said he was sorry "to any and all who were offended" and that he "overreacted."
But Thomas added there "was more said as we walked to the tee wishing bad things on the course for myself or Luke. Then the 'get in the bunker' comment over and over again. I felt it was understandable to have him escorted out. I never want to lose fans or have people root against me. I just didn't see a place for that person to be yelling at us things that weren't necessary over and over again.
"I overreacted and should not have had him kicked out. I feel bad for it but was more doing so because, again, because I felt the stuff he was saying was completely unnecessary."
Getting a lot of comments on the fan incident yesterday.. sorry to any and all offended by it. There was more said as we walked to the tee wishing bad things on the course for myself or Luke. Then the get in the bunker comment over and over again I felt...
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) February 26, 2018
...it was very understandable to have him escorted out. I never want to lose fans, or have people root against me. I just didn't see a place for that particular person to be yelling at us things that weren't necessary over and over again. I over reacted...
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) February 26, 2018
..and should not have had him kicked out. I feel bad for it, but was more doing so because again I felt the stuff he was saying was completely unnecessary. I love all my fans and to hear that I've lost quite a few bc of that, isn't fun. So I'm sorry to all!
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) February 26, 2018
...the fans are who support us all on TOUR and we are extremely lucky to have them each and every week. Thanks to all who came out and supported at @TheHondaClassic and continue to every week we play. We (I) love you guys
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) February 26, 2018
Fan behavior at times has become unruly on the closing holes at PGA National, especially at the 17th hole, where large grandstands and hospitality venues are erected surrounding the tee and green.
Thomas had called into question the behavior of fans a week earlier at the Genesis Open at Riviera near Los Angeles, and he explained his reasoning for the action he took Sunday after his victory.
"I feel like there's no place for that," Thomas said. "I hit it and my ball is in the air and it's in the middle of the fairway, and he's yelling for it to get in the bunker. I was like, OK, I've had enough. So I just turned around and asked who it was. He didn't want to say anything now that I had actually acknowledged him. So he got to leave a couple holes early.
"I don't want to kick someone out just to kick them out. It's just, it's so inappropriate. We're out here trying to win a golf tournament. I would have done it if he said it to Luke, just like Rory [McIlroy] did to that guy that said something to me in L.A."
Thomas' win was his second this season and the eighth of his career. Seven of the victories have come in his past 31 starts on the PGA Tour.