PGA Tour golfer Justin Thomas used a homophobic slur during the Sentry Tournament of Champions' third round in Hawaii on Saturday and issued an apology during an interview with the Golf Channel:

"There's just 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'm extremely embarrassed. It's not who I am. It's not the kind of person that I am. But unfortunately I did it and I have to own up to it and I'm very apologetic.

"Like I said, it's inexcusable. I'm speechless. It's bad. There's no other way to put it. I need to do better. I need to be better. It's definitely a learning experience. I deeply apologize to anyone and everybody who I offended and I'll be better because of it."

Kevin Dotson and John Sinnott of CNN noted Thomas used the slur after he missed a par putt.

"As he expressed after his round, we agree that Justin's comment was unacceptable," the PGA Tour said in a statement to Golf Digest.

Thomas is tied for fifth place at 17 under heading to Sunday's final round.