Davis Thompson, the second-year player out of Atlanta won the John Deere Classic today, He set TPC Deere Run on fire today in what became a scoring bonanza for the ages. Thompson finished at a record-breaking -28, with the top 5 all finishing -23 and lower. The top fifteen players all finished at -20 or lower. It has been a very long time since anyone has seen so many players score so well. The final round leaderboard is chock full of 65s, 64s, a few 63s, and even a 62. Hayden Springer shot the fourteenth 59 in tour history at Deere Run on Thursday.
Davis Thompson Captures First Win
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Davis Thompson is 25 and in his second season on the PGA Tour. While his dominating run over a relentless field was amazing to watch, his victory shouldn’t be that surprising. He’s already earned over $4.6 million on tour since last year and he has five Top 10, three Top 5, and three runner-up finishes. Thompson has made the cut in 42 of the 62 events he has played.
Thompson was primed for a win and he achieved it in awe-inspiring fashion. He shot 63 on Thursday, a measly 67 on Friday, a 62 yesterday, and a 64 today. He held off an absolute onslaught of young players putting up insanely low scores. C.T. Pan, Michael Thorbjornsen, and amateur phenom Luke Clanton all tied for second place at -24.
Amateur Luke Clanton Goes Low Again
Luke Clanton, a sophomore at Florida State, has been in contention in numerous tournaments recently, including making the cut at the U.S. Open. He has been on the first page of the leaderboard more than once already, and he has to be considering turning pro. Including his second-place finish today at the John Deere Classic, Clanton would have earned close to a million dollars in his amateur career.
“Trophy House” Maintains Perfect Record
Thompson and some fellow players rented a six-bedroom house near the course for the third straight year, and the house has produced a winner every year. J.T. Poston won at Deere Run in 2022, and Sepp Straka won the John Deere Classic last year while staying that the aptly nicknamed “Trophy House”. Poston rented the house again this year and Thompson was asked to join in when Sepp Straka opted for a hotel. When asked about the now mythical vacation rental, Thompson said:
“It’s kind of crazy, I stayed in Sepp’s room. Me and him may be fighting for that room next year.” When speaking of the congenial atmosphere in the house, Thompson added, “Staying in a hotel room by myself, I probably would’ve let my mind wander a lot. My mind did wander, but hanging out with those guys last night, doing laundry and watching sports kind of kept my mind off things.”
Sunday was Davis Thompson’s day, and as he answered questions after his win, he had trouble holding back tears. He embraced his young wife and took a moment for it to sink in. His first PGA Tour Victory, $1.44 million, a huge jump up the FedEx leaderboard, and exemptions into this month’s Open Tournament and next year’s Masters.
For any PGA Tour player, the thrill and the triumph of winning that first event is the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice. It’s an affirmation that they can succeed at the game they love at the highest level, they are PGA Tour champions.
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