Men's Golf . June 25, 2017

Kyle Thompson Earns 2017-18 PGA TOUR Card

June 25, 2017

Photo and quotes courtesy of PGA TOUR

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — After contemplating walking away from the game in 2015, former South Carolina men’s golf All-American Kyle Thompson is PGA TOUR bound for the 2017-18 season. Thompson secured his tour card after clinching a spot in the top-25 of the Web.com Tour Money List with a T-2nd finish at the Lincoln Land Charity Championship on Sunday.

“It’s insane to think that I would get back to the PGA TOUR,” said Thompson. “”It’s a pretty special day and I’m excited about the future.”

Thompson nearly notched his second win of the season, but fell just shy in a four-man playoff. With the pressure on during the first sudden death hole, the Greenville, S.C., native, knocked in a clutch, 8-foot par putt to keep his playoff hopes alive. Adam Schank then sunk a 25-foot putt for birdie on the second sudden death hole to seal his first career win.

Thompson grabbed the 54-hole lead on Saturday at 17-under after posting consecutive bogey free 64s (-7) in rounds two and three that featured 14 combined birdies. Thompson started the tournament 11th on the money list and his runner-up finish today catapulted him into fifth.

Earlier in the year, Thompson recorded his fifth career victory on the Web.com Tour after winning the Bahamas Great Exuma Class at Sandals Emerald Bay. He shot 286 (-2) in extremely tough weather conditions en route to taking home the title at the 2017 season-opening tournament. He was the only player in the entire field to finish under-par.

In the four seasons in which Thompson has recorded a victory on the Web.com Tour, he has now emerged with one of the 25 PGA Tour cards up for grabs three times. He’s played in 55 career PGA events, most recently the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills in which he missed the cut by just one stroke.

Thompson had a stellar career as a Gamecock, earning All-America honors three times from 1999-2001. He was the individual medalist at two NCAA Regionals (1999, 2001) and is tied for the lowest 18-hole score in school history (63) and the most top-five finishes (14).