Thompson wins first PGA Tour title at John Deere

SILVIS, In poor health. — Davis Thompson had been working towards a second like this, and he wasn’t about to let something cease him — not a mushy golf course that produced the very best scores of the week, not the stress of making an attempt to win for the primary time on the PGA Tour.

He began with a two-shot lead. Six holes into the ultimate spherical Sunday, Thompson had 5 birdies, had stretched his result in six pictures and was on his solution to a four-shot victory, a spot within the subsequent three majors and the bottom 72-hole rating within the John Deere Basic.

“I am simply grateful it labored out. I acquired off to a terrific begin at this time and was in a position to simply type of cruise on the again 9,” Thompson mentioned after closing with a 7-under 64. “Getting off to an excellent begin was essential, and I used to be simply in a position to experience the momentum coming in.”

Thompson, 25, made a 45-foot birdie putt on the primary gap for a three-shot lead, and nobody acquired nearer to him the remainder of the way in which.

The golfer from Georgia completed at 28-under 256 to interrupt by one stroke the John Deere Basic report set by Michael Kim in 2018.

“I simply wished to remain aggressive,” Thompson mentioned. “I knew there can be low scores on the market at this time as a result of the wind type of died down and the situations had been a little bit mushy. So I knew I used to be going to should go play effectively. Fortunately, I made a terrific putt on 1 and had a terrific up and down on 2 and saved the ball rolling.”

The victory will get him into the subsequent three majors, beginning with The Open in two weeks at Royal Troon. He additionally will make his Masters debut subsequent April.

Thompson is the twenty fourth participant to get his first PGA Tour win on the John Deere Basic, essentially the most of any match relationship to 1970.

The ultimate hour was all about who would end second and earn the opposite spot in The Open. That went to C.T. Pan of Taiwan, who birdied the sixteenth and seventeenth holes and completed with a two-putt par from 20 toes for a 64.

However a pair of kids made him sweat it out.

Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th gap for a 63 and was the primary to get to 24 below. Michael Thorbjornsen, the No. 1 participant within the PGA Tour College rating after ending at Stanford, hit out of a fairway bunker to 18 toes and made the birdie putt for a 63 to hitch Clanton.

With a three-way tie for second, The Open spot went to Pan primarily based on the world rating.

“Actually going to be hectic to rearrange all of the journey particulars final minute, however will probably be an excellent downside to have,” Pan mentioned.

Clanton, in the meantime, turned the primary beginner since Billy Joe Patton in 1958 to complete within the high 10 in consecutive PGA Tour-sanctioned tournaments. Patton was low beginner on the Masters and the U.S. Open that yr. Clanton tied for tenth on the Rocket Mortgage Basic final week.

Clanton’s final two weeks would have been price simply over $804,000 if he had been professional.

“We got here into the week with fairly excessive expectations I assume you possibly can say after final week,” Clanton mentioned. “I believe I type of reached that expectation for positive. In fact you wish to win. However once more, to do what I did on the market at this time was superior.”

As for the winner, that was by no means doubtful. Together with that 45-foot birdie putt to begin, Thompson rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 5 and had seven birdies by way of 10 holes.

He lastly dropped a shot on the par-4 twelfth, and Thorbjornsen appeared to have an opportunity to at the very least make it attention-grabbing. The Massachusetts native ran off six straight birdies and was taking part in the reachable par-4 14th. However his drive went effectively to the appropriate and he hit a heavy chip to some 35 toes. He three-putted for bogey, lacking a 4-foot par putt.

Thompson is in his second yr on the PGA Tour and he was a runner-up final week on the Rocket Mortgage Basic. His hope was to maintain the momentum going.

Maybe his alternative of lodging performed a job, too.

A number of gamers from Georgia have been renting a home close to the John Deere Basic for the previous few years. J.T. Poston stayed there when he gained the Deere two years in the past. Sepp Straka stayed in the home final yr and gained.

Straka introduced his spouse and younger son with him this yr and gave up his room to Thompson.

“I believe I’ve to pay for the entire home, which is unlucky,” Thompson mentioned with a smile. “However I will gladly write the examine for that.”

The victory was price $1,440,000. It additionally strikes Thompson to No. 22 within the FedEx Cup standings, all however assuring he will likely be in all of the signature occasions subsequent yr.