Michael Thompson Finishes Strong, Ties for Second

by Randy Roberts


Michael Thompson had the best round of the day, a 3 under beauty that vaulted him up the leaderboard early.  As the rest of the golfers ahead of him played the tough 1st through 6th holes, they slowly dropped and came back to where Michael was on the leaderboard.  After it was all said and done, he finished tied for 2nd with Graeme McDowell, one shot behind the eventual winner Webb Simpson.  He had the best score of the 1st and 4th rounds and had the most birdies of anyone in the field.

With the T2 finish, Michael earned $695,916, locking up his 2013 PGA Tour card and earning an invite to the 2013 Masters and U.S. Open.  He also moves from  #107 to #52 on the OWGR list, #105 to #39 on the money list, and #90 to #39 on the FedEx Cup list.  All in all, I'd say it was a great Sunday!

Random Notes from the day:

• Michael finished the tough 1-6 hole stretch in one under par, the best he did all week by two strokes
• He had the two lowest round scores (1st and 4th rounds)
• "Michael Thompson" was a US twitter trending topic after he finished his round
• Michael's parents and in-laws were present this week.  We can check "fathers day gift" off his list now.
• Michael hit the most fairways of anyone on Sunday. 11 of 14. This was key since he had been struggling in the second and third rounds trying to do so. He ranked 41st overall.
• He had more birdies than anyone else, 16 (12 of which were on par 4 holes)

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Transcript from another post round interview
Birdies and Bogeys:  Birdie -  Michael Thompson

US Open - Round 3

by Randy Roberts and Roz Roberts III

Michael ended up shooting four over par in the third round of the US Open.  He'll be going into the final round T-18th at +5.

The highlight of the day was his hole-out on hole #1.  Roz saw it in person, so I'll let him describe it:

"Michael's birdie on hole #1 was nothing short of remarkable.  His drive off the tee went far left into what looked like a dirt patch beyond a tree line (we were on the other side of the fairway).  The crowd cheered his save out of the native area but he just got back into the fairway and had 100 yards or so left to the hole.  I was up at the hole and his wedge shot landed softly short of the green and just started tracking right into the hole!  It was the most amazing shot I have ever seen live.  The gallery went nuts!!!!  I hope they had it on TV because it was so good that I want to see it again.  It definitely wasn't the way you'd draw up a birdie on that hole in the game plan!"  

They did have it on TV, but it hasn't been available online anywhere, so I uploaded the clip.



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Michael will be teeing off at 1:10 PST and will be paired with David Toms

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NBC 1:00-7:00 PST
usopen.com Live Video from Holes 8 and 18: 1:00-7:00 PST


** Bonus ***
I found this interview on youtube which was done thursday night. It's a pretty good interview and worth watching.

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Thompson Gets In a Little Practice

Click on the above image to be taken to the full resolution version on PGATour.com

Michael Thompson was seen out on the Olympic Club's Lake Course earlier today in preparation for tomorrow's first round of the US Open.  Michael will be teeing off at 7:37am PT with Colt Knost and Steve Marino from the first hole.

Memories of Torrey Pines

Over the years, Torrey Pines has been the host of many memorable golf tournaments, but none more so than the 2008 US Open. Most of the golfing world remembers the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines as the tournament Tiger Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a 19 hole playoff on a bum leg (apparently, 18 playoff holes just weren't enough drama for Tiger).

We here at The Thompson Tide remember that tournament for an altogether different reason: that was the US Open in which Michael Thompson not only made the cut, but finished as the top amateur, tied for 29th (notice that the 2008 US Open has its own page here at The Thompson Tide).

Personally, I have a lot of great memories from that week:

• following Michael around during his practice rounds
• "trying" to follow him through the throngs of people on Sunday
• getting the chance to meet Rachel (Michael's wife before she was his wife)
• spending the week with family cheering Michael on
• meeting Susie Meyers and looking through her caddie notebook at the end of the week - boy was that some gibberish!
• hearing the unbelievable roar on the 11th hole when he made a long, bending birdie putt on Sunday
• walking (lots of walking)

But for me, one memory stands out above all the others. It came at the end of the tournament. Michael had finished as the low amateur and we were all waiting around for his medal ceremony. At the conclusion of the tournament a medal is presented to the low amateur during the trophy ceremony. We had been waiting in the players' dinning room for a while when a tournament official herded us out behind the 18th green as the tournament was drawing to a close. Tiger Woods was one shot back of Rocco on the 18th hole (a par 5). We all crammed around a little NBC monitor to watch the final hole. As most of you remember, Tiger made a really tough 15 foot downhill put for birdie to force a playoff. The crowd went nuts. Tiger went nuts. I went nuts - for about 2 seconds.

Tiger Woods Birdies the 72nd Hole of 2008 US Open to Force a Playoff

As soon as we realized that Tiger had forced a playoff - an 18 hole Monday playoff - we knew Michael's medal ceremony wasn't to be. He had to hop a flight to play in his last tournament as an amateur (the Traveler's). He couldn't wait until after the Monday playoff for a ceremony. Asked by a tournament official what he wanted to do, Michael simply said that he had to leave and could they please bring him the medal.

That official left for a while and then came back - with a whole lot of other officials all dressed in their tournament jackets. They asked us to follow them out to the 18th green. By then there were only a couple of people still in the grandstands - probably trying to wait out the inevitable traffic jam. On the 18th green, surrounded by mostly empty grandstands, they had a medal ceremony for Michael. I along with maybe 50 other lucky family members, friends, and fans got to witness it. It meant a lot to us that those officials went to the effort to give Michael the ceremony he had earned - even if it was just for us.

Although I know I will be witnessing more ceremonies for Michael (either in person or on TV), I will always remember the 2008 US Open Low Amateur ceremony as something special .

Michael Thompson with
Swing Coach/Caddie Susie Meyers
at "Our Very Own" 2008 US Open Medal Ceremony

P.S. Susie wrote a really nice article describing her experience being Michael's caddie at the 2008 US Open.

Susie Meyers Shares US Open Experience

I played in a number of U.S. Opens when I was on the LPGA Tour, but I never thought I would be caddying in the men's U.S. Open. To be at the Open with your student whom you’ve been with for nine years, watching him reach his goals, to be a part of his dreams, to realize that he is the real thing, this is true satisfaction. I had caddied for Michael Thomson in his first U.S. Amateur at Winged Foot in 2004, so it was a real privilege to caddy for him again in his first US Open. 

The first two days, Michael had a fabulous pairing, playing with Rocco Mediate. Rocco is as nice as can be and funny. And he never stopped talking. He was definitely on his game that week, losing to Tiger Woods eventually on the first sudden death hole aft er an 18-hole playoff round. 

The Open is all about placing your ball in the right spot so you have a chance at the next shot. Playing with Rocco, Michael was getting a first-hand lesson. To be sure, Michael was ready for the task and was really enjoying this opportunity to play with the best players in the world. 

The first round was pretty solid even though he had his highest score. Michael hit 14 greens and shot 75. We worked very closely through each round. As the tournament went on my player instincts really kicked in. Michael wanted to verbalize each shot, to visualize it and to make a commitment to the shot he intended. He would tell me what he saw, where his target would be, where he saw the putt breaking or where the ball should enter the hole. 

Michael and I have worked many years on realizing you cannot control your ball but you can control your preparation and your reaction to the shot. Michael let each shot “go” and did not control it. However, he was very much in control of his emotions and his composure. He is very mature and in this game that really pays off . 

Friday morning we were on the Torrey Pines driving range. I was watching Michael warm up when Tiger walked onto the range. It was like the King had arrived. The crowd went wild. I told Michael that Tiger was going to plant himself right behind him so take his time. Sure enough, Tiger stopped right next to Michael and the crowd was very loud. I appreciated a chance to say hello to Hank Haney, Tiger’s instructor and my former boss. I looked around and thought, “Wow, we are doing it, we are at the U.S. Open and I am caddying for the best amateur in the field” 

The second day was an amazing display of tenacity and patience. Michael was three over for the first three holes then played one under from there. He didn’t have a good feel for where the club was that day so the ball was all over the course. But he kept it together and endured, making putts and chipping it close. He birdied the 9th and 10th holes, and a birdie on 18 assured him of making the cut. We were ecstatic; his first cut in a major. 

The third round started off just as shaky but he managed to keep it together and shot another 73. Michael stays in the shot so well—no past, no future, just the moment. 

Each day I heard a lot of “Go Mom!” gallery chatter. Who knew that I was Michael’s instructor? Tell me, what kid would have his mom caddy for him in the Open? I wanted to wear a sign that said, “I’m not the Mom!” But Michael is very secure in himself and loved having me along for the ride, even though I was the only female instructor in the field. 

The fourth round seemed a lot calmer than the first three. Michael’s ball went where he was looking more often. As my player skills were being piqued we were making some great decisions together. Michael shot a cool 72 and finished as the low amateur, tied for 29th in the field. I was so proud of him as a golfer but more so as a person. He stood up under the heat and flourished. I only see great things happening for Michael. 

And me? Well, I got to go home to my husband and two kids and do what I love to do: help people with their golf games. As we know there is so much more to golf than the swing. Guiding golfers through the maze of details that this game entails and making it more enjoyable and “do-able” is what I’m all about. 

And Michael? Well, he turns professional the first of July and will try to get some sponsor exemptions into PGA events and then go to Qualifying School for the PGA Tour in the fall. He is a very happy and confident young man and will make his way in the world of professional golf just fine!

Susie Meyers, longtime teaching professional at Ventana, has been coaching Michael Thompson, one of the nation’s top amateur golfers, for the past nine years. She caddied for him in the recent U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in California.

Via: Ventanacanyonclub.com