Sunday, December 18, 2011

Frosting on the Cake for a Great Rookie Season


by Randy Roberts

Michael Thompson capped off a stellar 2011 by taking solo 3rd at the Thailand Golf Championship in Bangkok, Thailand and earning an additional $61,000.  Shooting a final round 70 (2 under par), he was one of only two players to play every round at 70 or better and I think he was first in bogey avoidance.

I remember his swing coach Susie Meyers once saying that it would be good for Michael to play on some of the other tours around the world in order to get experience on different types of golf courses and style of play.  He certainly got the most out of his trip to Thailand, coming away with a lot of experience that he can now hold in his back pocket.  Not only did he get to visit a part of the world he'd never been to, but he got to compete against some of the best players from the Asian and European Tours.  He got to play the final two rounds in the lead group along with all the added media attention that comes with that.  Not to mention he got to play alongside the world's (after this week) #2 golfer Lee Westwood.  It looked to me like he was much more relaxed compared to his prior experiences being in the final group.  From the TV coverage it appeared like he and his caddie were firing on all cylinders as a team, often discussing the best approach to take, and (according to the announcers) making sound golf decisions.  All in all, I think his performance in Thailand bodes well for the future as he continues to improve his game and prepares him for when he'll be in similar situations again  in 2012.

Leaderboard
Scorecard

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Thompson in Third After Three Rounds in Thailand


by Randy Roberts


Michael Thompson had another solid round of golf, finishing at 3 under for the day and 12 under overall after three rounds at the Thailand Golf Championship.  Charl Schwartzel pulled away from Michael shooting 5 under, -15 overall.  Meanwhile, Lee Westwood gave up a shot with a one over par for -19 overall but still holds onto a four shot lead.

Playing in the final group, the majority of his round was featured on the Golf Channel where he received praise from the announcers for his steady play and ability to make good shots from tough locations:

"This guy's got some game.  He's really impressing me. He's got all of the shots it seems like. He's one of those players that quietly goes along, doesn't make much noise, but at the end of the week he's gonna be near the top of the leaderboard."
Near the top of the leaderboard he is, with his solo third position.

His tee time for round 4 is at 11:15am local time in Bangkok.  That's 8:15pm PST.  The final round will be televised on the Golf Channel.

Photos from Round 3

Leaderboard- Link 1
Leaderboard - Link 2

Friday, December 16, 2011

Thompson Tearing It Up In Thailand

by Randy Roberts

Michael Thompson shot 6 under par in round 2, propelling him into a tie for second with Charl Schwartzel behind leader Lee Westwood who commands an astonishing 11 stroke lead.  After the round Michael sounded upbeat:
"I’m feeling great. To be in second place in any tournament is a great feeling no matter what day it is. Looking forward to the weekend, I have two more days in Thailand. I’m going to go out and enjoy it. I’ll get to play with two great players. It will be exciting."
Chasing down the world #3 player Westwood along with Masters Champion Schwartzel at his side is a daunting task, but Michael sounded up for the challenge.
"It is Saturday. It is a day when you can get aggressive. For me, the whole year has been about my process. This is my rookie year on the PGA Tour so I learned a lot. To have the opportunity to play with two of the top guys here is a great honour. I’m going to go out there and hopefully challenge them and see what I can do. I’m not going to be a pushover. I’m looking forward to it."
Traveling to the other side of the globe has been a tiring yet exciting experience for Michael:
"Me and my wife got here Sunday morning. A little tired but excited to come out here. We haven’t travelled so far before. I’ve been to Japan and that was a whirlwind experience. But to come out here and experience the culture and the great food is just a joy. To be able to play the game that I love is just icing on the cake."
Michael will be in the final group along with Westwood and Schwartzel.  His tee time is 11:30am local time on Saturday, which is 8:30 PST on Friday.

Leaderboard
Click on "Hole by Hole" on the leaderboard to see his scorecard. (Upper left corner)

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Thompson in Thailand

by Randy Roberts

Michael Thompson has traveled half way across the globe to play in the Thailand Golf Championship this week.  Held at Amata Spring Country Club outside of Bangkok Thailand, the tournament is the last of the season for the Asian Golf Tour.

The tournament's website gives you a hole-by-hole description, along with photos.  They also have a nice bio on Michael.  Michael will be one of only 8 players from the US in the field

The picturesque course encircles two lakes, and features a hole that is located on a floating green, accessible only by boat.



The tournament will be televised on the Golf Channel, however it will be on a tape delay.  Check your local listings for when it's going to air.

Michael's 1st round tee time is at 8:00 am local time in Bangkok on Thursday.  It's 15 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time, on the other side of the international date line, which means he'll be teeing off at 5pm PST on Wednesday.

Leaderboard
Scorecard

Time Converter

Current time in Bangkok, Thailand