An Auburn native made waves in the golf world this weekend, as Davis Thompson — a PGA Tour rookie and Lee-Scott Academy alumnus — finished second at The American Express in La Quinta, California.
Thompson, who was at one point atop The American Express leaderboard, ended the weekend at 26-under 288, shooting a 3-under 72 in his final round Sunday.
The Auburn native finished one spot behind Jon Rahm — the fourth-ranked golfer in the world and the weekend's betting favorite, according to DraftKings. One stroke off Rahm’s 27 under, Thompson took the Spaniard down to the 18th hole at the PGA West Stadium Course in the final round.
“Got a little lucky that Davis' putt didn't go in on 17, and a little fortunate that his ball just got over the green on 18, but what a heck of a player he is,” Rahm said on NBC Golf following his win. “He's doing all the right things and wouldn't be surprised if he wins soon, because he gave me a real battle today. It was a lot of fun and surely there'll be more to come.”
Based on the PGA Tour’s purse payout percentages, Thompson’s second-place finish is set to make him approximately $872,000.
A hot start for Thompson began the headline grabbing, as he totaled five eagles through his first 36 holes — tying a PGA Tour record that has only been matched six times in a four-round tournament since 1983. Golfers to hit that mark include U.S. Open-winner Justin Rose, PGA Championship-winner Davis Love III and 2020 Masters Tournament champion Dustin Johnson, among others.
Thompson is 23 years old and turned pro in 2021. Prior to this weekend, his best career finish came in September at the Fortinet Championship in Napa, Calif., where he tied for ninth, shooting a 10-under 288.
The Auburn native pursued a collegiate golf career at the University of Georgia, following in the footsteps of his his father, Todd Thompson. The younger Thompson was named the SEC Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season. Thompson won NCAA Regionals in 2019 and 2021, and he eventually reached No. 1 in the amateur world rankings in November 2020.
When Thompson signed with Georgia in November 2016, he told the Opelika-Auburn News: “I always grew up a Georgia fan with my dad going there and when I first visited, it just felt like home to me.
“They have a great record of sending guys to the PGA Tour, and that’s something I’m looking to be a part of.”
Thompson was a multi-sport athlete at Lee-Scott Academy, helping the Warriors win a state championship in boys basketball in 2016. He graduated from Lee-Scott in 2017.
According to Thompson’s PGA Tour bio, he is a huge fan of double-stuffed Oreos and the Batman movies.
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Adam has been covering Auburn athletics since March 2022. He graduated from the University of Missouri in May 2021 and has appeared in multiple publications, including the Kansas City Star and Omaha World-Herald, among others.
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