Fans tuning in to the Skins Game were treated to a lively mix of swagger, quick wit, and high-stakes shot-making. The return of the showcase on Black Friday carried an electric tone from the opening tee shot. A cast of Ryder Cup personalities who know how to keep the mood sharp and entertaining helped make it more interesting.

As the event at Panther National came to an end, Keegan Bradley emerged victorious. He holed 11 skins and won $2.1 million. That’s when Justin Thomas came with an unusual request to host a dinner party.

“Tommy lad! @TommyFleetwood1 with the big skin at the last. Good fun boys and well done @Keegan_Bradley on the @the_skins_game victory. Dinner on you next time!!!” Justin Thomas wrote in an X post.

Keegan Bradley made history by birding the par-3 13th hole to win four skins and $900,000. It is the most someone has won in a single hole in the history of the Skins Game. “I was really, really nervous about that putt,” Bradley said after winning the four skins together. And it was not just him; the entire course was quiet to watch him take that shot. There was no chirping among the fans who had gathered to watch the event.

Not long before the end, Justin Thomas was doubtful of Keegan Bradley’s putting skills. It was on the 8th hole, where the 2025 US Ryder Cup captain had the chance to make a birdie putt and earn $300,000 more. He made the birdie and increased his total amount to $1.625 million in the reverse purse format.

An on-course analyst came to Keegan Bradley to talk to him about the putt. That’s when he revealed that Justin Thomas thought that Bradley wouldn’t be able to make the shot. Taking a jab at Thomas, Bradley said that he is glad that the 16x PGA Tour winner said that, and he was able to prove him wrong.

Justin Thomas also congratulated Tommy Fleetwood, especially for how he ended the Skins Game. He had a strong showing, finishing with three skins on the final hole. This helped him finish with a $1.125 million purse.

Thomas had co-designed the course himself along with Jack Nicklaus. While Nicklaus is a veteran in the space, it was Justin’s first experience as a golf course designer and architect. While sharing his experience working with the 18x major winner, the American golfer said that it was really cool just to watch the veteran do his job.

Nicklaus had a similar positive experience working with the 2025 RBC Heritage winner. He said that Thomas showed genuine curiosity in learning more about golf course designing. In fact, Jack Nicklaus even got some good opinion from Justin Thomas that helped improve a few holes on the course.

Justin Thomas was one of the participants who was roped in to play at the Skins Game. However, he had to withdraw because of his back surgery, as Shane Lowry replaced him.

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Shane Lowry replaced Justin Thomas for the Skins Game

Justin Thomas revealed that he had undergone a microdiscectomy in November 2025. Therefore, he had to rest to let his disc heal completely. He announced the same to the fans through an Instagram post. Because of the surgery, he was sidelined from the Skins Game. Thomas will also miss many events at the start of the PGA Tour and Tiger Woods’ and Rory McIlroy’s TGL.

The organizers chose Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open Champion and recent Ryder Cup standout for Europe at Bethpage Black, as Justin Thomas’ replacement. Lowry joined the lineup for the Black Friday event at Panther National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. His participation reunited Ryder Cup rivals, adding banter potential. Lowry also joked pre-event about Bradley owing him and Fleetwood.

Lowry earned one skin worth $200,000, including his first on the par-5 ninth hole after rattling the flagstick with a pitch. He had chances for more, like a missed birdie on the 12th for $675,000 and three skins, but finished behind the winner Keegan Bradley and Tommy Fleetwood. Last on the list was Xander Schauffele, who did not win anything.

The showcase wrapped up with a blend of history, humor, and competition that kept fans talking long after the final putt dropped. The mix of star personalities, bold swings, and Justin Thomas’s lively commentary from his home ensured the Skins Game ended on a memorable note.