It took awhile, but Tucson born and raised Michael Thompson found his way into the winners circle again on the PGA Tour. He held on to win the 3M Open, 7 years after his only previous win at the Honda Classic in 2013.
Very often, you have to go out and earn the win…and he did, thanks in part to his caddie. Just before one of the more heroic winning shots seen in a while, looper Damian Lopez told Thompson “time to step up, play the game.” And that he did, blasting out of a bunker from 40 yards to within a foot of the hole, for a huge birdie. He gave credit for that shot to the many hours he spent in bunkers at 49er Country Club when he was a kid growing up in Tucson.
During Thompson’s days in Tucson, he won the individual and team championship while at Rincon/University High School. He went on to have a great college career at Alabama…before turning pro after his senior year.
Back in April, Thompson appeared on The Golf Arizona Show (ESPN/Tucson/1490 am/104.9 fm) and broke the news that he and his wife were in Wichita Kansas, getting to pick up the newest edition to the Thompson family…Laurel Marie…who had just been just been born to a birth mother, before being adopted by the Thompson’s.
Thompson also expressed hope that his annual fundraiser for Arizona Junior Golf would go as scheduled sometime in September. But considering what he won in addition to the winners check ($1.2 mm), we’d understand if he had to postpone the event this year. Winning a standard PGA event means a two year exemption on tour, and invitations to the Masters and the US Open. In addition, he skyrocketed from 151st to 39th on the Fed Ex points list, so he will also be included in at least the first two playoff events. A number of tournaments, originally scheduled earlier, had to be postponed due to the pandemic. So, it might be a while until Michael will be back to host his tournament. But when he does, he’ll come back with a newfound confidence that he now belongs on Tour, and a new addition to his family that he can’t wait to watch grow up.
