Davis Thompson Wins First PGA Tour Title at John Deere Classic
![Davis Thompson Wins First PGA Tour Title at John Deere Classic](https://thechronicle.cc/uploads/images/202407/image_750x_668c3a387e235.jpg)
Davis Thompson, a former Alabama high school golf star, secured his first PGA Tour victory in style. On Sunday, Thompson birdied five of the first six holes during the final round of the John Deere Classic, held at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. He finished with an impressive 7-under 64, setting a tournament record with a total score of 256, which equates to 28-under par.
This victory came in Thompson's 63rd PGA Tour outing and saw him winning by four strokes over Michael Thorbjornsen, C.T. Pan, and amateur Luke Clanton. "I just tried to stay present all day," Thompson said. "When that last putt finally went in, it was a big sigh of relief."
An emotional winning moment ❤️
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 7, 2024
Davis Thompson seals the deal with his first TOUR victory @JDClassic. pic.twitter.com/BNOHLLaYXO
With this win, Thompson earned a $1.44 million prize, gained 500 FedEx Cup points, and secured a spot in the Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland on July 18, marking his debut in a major championship.
The 25-year-old golfer set himself up for victory on Saturday by matching his best PGA Tour round with a 9-under 62. This triumph follows a series of strong performances, including a runner-up finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week and at the Myrtle Beach Classic on May 12.
“I’ve been working hard this year,” Thompson shared. “It was okay for a while, but then I found my rhythm this last month. I played well last week and kept the momentum going to get the win this week.”
During his high school years at Lee-Scott Academy in Auburn, Thompson was instrumental in securing six AISA boys' golf championships and was the state-tournament medalist in 2013 and 2015. He also excelled in basketball, earning an honorable mention on the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s AISA All-State boys’ basketball team for the 2015-16 season, leading Lee-Scott to the AISA Class AAA championship.
At the University of Georgia, Thompson continued to shine, earning PING and Golf Coaches Association of America All-American honors in 2020 and being named the SEC Player of the Year in 2021.