Michael Thompson knew exactly where he stood going into Thursday's final round of the NGA Hooters Winter Series event at Timacuan Golf Club - two behind the second-round leader Matthew Kohn. But even after shooting a 29 on the front 9, he wasn't sure where he stood when he teed it up on the tough 18th, the final hole of the 54-hole event.
"I didn't know at all. I do know that I was really nervous," said the 24-year-old Thompson.
Nerves or not, he drained a 16-foot birdie putt to finish off a nine-under-par 63 and what proved to be a five-shot victory. It was his first win after two years on the NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour, and was worth $12,400 pushing him to the top of the Winter Series money list.
The Birmingham, AL, resident carded a three-day total of 18-under-par 198 and a five-stroke victory over Kohn (Maitland, FL), Robbie Greenwell (Georgetown, ON) and Zack Sucher (Loxley, AL).