A bleak spring has turned into a productive summer for Georgia Tech grad Nicholas Thompson, who hopes to soon add his name to the list of first-time winners on the PGA Tour.
Thompson, an All-American for the Yellow Jackets and member of the 2005 Walker Cup team, missed the cut in six straight events in the spring. He’s since made the cut in five of the last six tournaments and is coming off a tie for 12th at the John Deere Classic, his best finish since a tie for sixth at the Humana Challenge in January.
“I feel like I’m so close,” Thompson said. “I feel like winning is just around the corner.”
Thompson has shown the ability to post some low scores. He’s shot in the 60s in nine of his last 22 rounds, a figure skewed by four rounds at the U.S. Open. He ranks ninth on the Tour in third-round scoring (69.73).
“Even when I was missing the cut, it was just a wayward shot here or there,” Thompson said. “Everything is a little bit tighter. Even my missed shots are better.”
Thompson credits a lot of the turnaround to improved putting. He’s only 160th in strokes gained/putting for the season, but tied for 17th in the important statistical category last week at the John Deere.
“I’ve been giving myself a lot of chances,” he said. “That’s all I can ask for. It’s only a matter of time before I break through.”
Thompson ranked 84th on the FedEx Cup list and is virtually assured of keeping his card for the 2013-14 season. He made a late decision to play in this week’s Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi and may take one week off before the FedEx Cup playoffs begin in August.
“I’ll keep playing until they tell me I can’t play any more,” he said.
Thompson is the oldest member of the notable golfing family. His brother Curtis plays at LSU and sister Lexi is a star on the LPGA tour. The clan is growing, too; Thompson and his wife, Christen, are expecting their first child, a son, in October.
On the Tours: The PGA Tour has a tournament this week for those who didn't qualify for the British Open. The Sanderson Farms Championship in Madison, Miss., has numerous Georgia connections, including 2011 winner Chris Kirk of Sea Island and 2005 winner Heath Slocum of Alpharetta.
Kirk is 28th in the FedEx Cup standings and is coming off a tie for 22nd at the John Deere Classic. That was his best finish since April and his seventh top-25 in 17 starts.
Acworth’s Jason Bohn may be a player to watch. The Acworth resident has quietly finished among the top 25 in three of his last six starts. Bohn was second at the Annandale Golf Club a year ago. Bohn lost to Scott Stallings by two shots, but finished with only 96 putts, the lowest single-tournament on the Tour in 2012.
The field also includes Davis Love III, who will not play in the British Open for the first time since 1986. Love missed time due to neck surgery and has some work to do if he wants to extend his streak of finishing 100th or better on the Tour’s money list to 28 years. Two weeks ago Love, 49, tied for ninth at the Greenbrier Classic, his best finish of the season, and is No. 158 on the money list.
Shirley take Georgia Women's Open: Margaret Shirley of Roswell won her third Georgia Women's Open, winning by five shots at Brookfield Country Club in Roswell. Shirley had rounds of 68 and 70 to finish at 6-under 138. Shirley, a former All-American at Auburn, also won the tournament in 2006 and 2008. It marked the fourth time she's been low amateur.
Amateur Jessica Haigwood of Roswell and professional Carmen Badea of Johns Creek tied for second at 1-under 143. Mari Chun of Alpharetta and amateur Mercedes Huare of Suwanee tied for fourth.
Etc.: Doug Hanzel has gotten the hang of the U.S. Senior Open. For the second straight year the physician from Savannah was the event's low amateur. Hanzel made the cut at 4-over, which included an even-par 70 on Friday, and finished tied for 56th at 10-over 290. Amateur Jack Hall of Sea Island missed the cut by two shots.
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