About Michael










PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

COLLEGIATE/AMATEUR HIGHLIGHTS:
  • Finished his Amateur career ranked #1 in the world
  • Low Amateur at 2008 US Open (T-29)
  • Finalist in the 2007 U.S. Amateur
  • Fell 2-and-1 to Colt Knost in the 2007 U.S. Amateur final at San Francisco's Olympic Club
  • Collected invites into the 2008 fields of the U.S. Open and the Masters with his U.S. Amateur play
  • 2007 PING All-American, 2nd Team
  • 2008 SEC Player of the Year
  • Finished second to Rickie Fowler for the Ben Hogan Award
  • Finished T-4th at the 2006 NCAA Championships at 5-under par (72-71-66-66/275)
  • Finished T-4th at the 2007 SEC Championships (77-72-67/216, +6)
  • Finished T-4th at the 2007 NCAA Central Regional (83-67-70/220, +4)
  • 2007 Greystone Invitational champion at 16-under par, the amateur tournament's record
  • Finished 2nd at 22-under par at the 2007 The Players Amateur(68-64-65-69/266)
  • Finished T-3rd at 2007 Jones Cup at -5 (70-69-72/211)
  • Won his sectional at Pinewild Country Club's Magnolia Course in Pinehurst, N.C., to advance to the 2007 U.S. Amateur(67-69/136, -6)
  • Alabama's low stroke average leader in 2007 with a 71.89 stroke average in 12 tournament appearances
  • Has competed in the U.S. Amateur three times, in 2004 (lost in the 1st round), 2006 (missed the cut) and 2007 (the final)
  • All-conference in two different leagues, the SEC and Conference USA
  • 1st Team All-SEC in 2007; 1st Team All-Conference USA in 2005 (sophomore) and 2nd Team All-Conference USA in 2004 (freshman)
  • Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2004; Conference USA Golfer of the Month in March 2004, September 2004 and February 2005
  • Going into the 2007-08 season, has four collegiate career victories, all at Tulane (3 of those came in playoffs)
  • Going into the 2007-08 season, has 15 collegiate career top 10 finishes and 25 (out of 35 career tournaments) top 25 finishes
  • Going into the 2007-08 season, has finished under par in 13 collegiate tournaments
  • 2007 Academic All-SEC (accounting major)
  • Transferred to Alabama from Tulane after Tulane disbanded golf in wake of Hurricane Katrina
  • First Team All-Conference USA in 2005 (at Tulane)
  • 2005 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Male Golfer of the Year
  • Had a 72.7 stroke average in 2005 at Tulane (sophomore) and a 72.88 stroke average as a freshman with the Green Wave
  • Competed as an individual for Tulane at the 2005 NCAA East Regional, finishing T-16th at 4-under (70-69-70/209)
  • Won two tournament individual championships at Tulane in 2005 and two in 2004
  • Has been coached by former LPGA pro Susie Meyers since he was 14.  She was his caddy for the 2008 US Open as well.
PREP HIGHLIGHTS:
  • 2003 graduate of University High School in Tucson
  • Coached by Red Morrow
  • Won Class 4A state team championship in 2003 and team finished second in 2002
  • Arizona High School State Player of the Year in 2002 and 2003
  • Team MVP from 1999 through 2003
  • First Team All-State in 2002 and 2003
  • Also played varsity soccer in 2002 and 2003, making it to 2003 state finals and 2002 and 2003 regional championships
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
  • Married to Rachel Thompson (no relation), a Doctor in Physical Therapy (they met as freshmen at Tulane)
  • Rachel was his caddie for a tournament that he went on to win.
  • His college teammates nicknamed him "Slick"
  • Has always marked his ball with quarters. His mother has been collecting 1985 quarters in honor of his birth year.
  • An Eagle Scout
  • Thompson was a junior on Tulane's 2005-06 golf team that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina; team was moved to Dallas & the golfers were taking classes at SMU until Tulane eliminated the golf program along with several other sports, after which he transferred to Alabama.
  • An accounting major
  • Fell in love with sport of golf from watching it on TV
  • Lowest competitive round going into 2007-08 is 64 shot at The Players Amateur; personal low round is 63
  • Has a brother, Zach (training to be an Air Force fighter pilot), half-brother Ryan, and half-sister, Darcy
  • Parents, brother Ryan, aunt Pat, uncle Roz are all University of Arizona graduates
  • Parents are Mike and Beth Thompson
  • Born April 16, 1985
Some of the above info was taken from his University of Alabama Profile