NGA Player of the Year Michael Thompson wins Honda Classic
During his rookie season in 2009 on the NGA TOUR, Thompson missed seven of 14 cuts and only placed inside the top 10 on two occasions, a stark contrast to his award-winning 2010 campaign. After his rough-and-tumble debut, Thompson lowered his overall stroke average by nearly a full shot in 2010 and went on to earn six top-10 finishes, four top-5 showings and his first win on the NGA Tour. He also racked up $92,853 in winnings and accumulated tour-leading 3865 points.
The victory pushes Thompson inside the top 15 in the FedExCup standings and earns him a spot in the 2013 Masters. Thompson’s best finish in a PGA TOUR major is a T2 in the 2012 U.S. Open.
Fellow 2009 NGA TOUR member Keegan Bradley matched his best finish of the season in the Honda Classic. Bradley, a 2009 NGA TOUR winner, posted a 1-over 71 in the final round and finished tied for fourth with NGAers Lucas Glover (70) and Erik Compton (70) at 3-under par.
Russell Henley, a 2012 NGA TOUR competitor, posted an even-par 70 to join 2012 Carolina Series player Darron Stiles (72) and alum Chris Stroud (70) in a tie for 13th at 1-under par.
Robert Streb, a 2012 NGA TOUR member, shot a 1-over 71 on Sunday and finished the event tied for 18th with alum Sean O’Hair (72) at even par.
For full-field scores, click here.
Web.com Tour: Bogota, Colombia – Jim Renner, a 2010 NGA TOUR member, posted a 1-under 70 in the final round of the Web.com Tour’s Colombia Championship on Sunday to finish in solo second at 14-under par, four shots behind winner Patrick Cantlay.
Renner, a two-time NGA TOUR winner, carded rounds of 69-65-66-70 to earn a career-best finish on the No. 2 tour. In 58 starts on the NGA TOUR, Renner earned nearly $200,000 in winnings.
NGA alum Shane Bertsch, who played on the NGA TOUR in 1998, also closed with a 1-under 70 to finish third at 12-under par, while former NGA player Alexandre Rocha carded a 3-under 68 to move a tie for fourth at 11-under par.
NGAers Manuel Villegas (68), and Scott Brown (68) finished T7 at 9-under par and alum Ron Whittaker (67) finished T11 at 8-under par.
For full-field scores, click here.
Third Round Updates: 2010 NGA members Thompson, Renner lead PGA, Web.com events
PGA TOUR: Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – (March 2, 2013) – Former NGA TOUR Player of the Year Michael Thompson will start the final round of the Honda Championship tied atop the leaderboard in the PGA TOUR event.
Thompson, a 2010 NGA TOUR member, was one of the few golfers to avoid shooting over par during tough conditions in the third round of play. The former Alabama All-American posted four birdies and four bogeys en route to an even-par 70 and a share of the 54-hole lead at PGA National. Thompson, who is looking for his first PGA TOUR win, will start the final round at 8-under par and tied with Luke Guthrie.
Former NGA TOUR winner Keegan Bradley, a 2009 NGA TOUR member, also posted an even-par 70 in the third round to stay in contention. Bradley will start the final round tied for seventh at 4-under par.
Darron Stiles, a 2012 NGA Carolina Series competitor, shot his second 68 in as many days to move into a tie for 12th at 3-under par. NGA alums Erik Compton (70), James Driscoll (70), Lucas Glover (72), Boo Weekley (74) and Tom Gillis (72) are also tied for 12th going into the final round of play.
Alums Brandt Jobe (68) and Sean O’Hair (74) will start play on Sunday tied for 12th at 3-under par, while NGAers Russell Henley (70), Mark Wilson (71), Chris Stroud (72), Jeff Klauk (73) and 2012 NGA TOUR member Robert Streb (74) will begin the final round T26 at 1-under par.
For full-field scores, click here.
Web.com Tour: Bogota, Colombia – Jim Renner, a 2010 NGA TOUR member, carded a 5-under 66 in the third round of the Colombia Championship on Saturday and will start the final round of the Web.com Tour event tied for the lead.
Renner, a two-time NGA TOUR winner, recorded three birdies, two bogeys and two eagles at Country Club de Bogota on Saturday to join Patrick Cantlay at 13-under par and atop the leaderboard.
After posting a 4-under 67 in the third round, Shane Bertsch, a 1998 NGA TOUR player, is two shots behind the lead duo at 11-under par, while 2011 NGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Ryan Spears is 9-under par and T5.
Spears, a Wichita State alumnus, carded five birdies and two bogeys in the third round and is in position to notch his best finish on the Web.com Tour on Sunday.
NGA TOUR alums Edward Loar (70) and Alexandre Rocha (69) will begin play on Sunday tied for seventh at 8-under par.
For full-field scores, click here.
Second Round Updates: NGA Player of the Year Michael Thompson T2 at Honda
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – (March 1, 2013) – Former NGA TOUR Player of the Year Michael Thompson carded a 5-under 65 in the second round of the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic on Friday to move into second place at 8-under par.
Thompson, who earned six top-10 finishes and four top-5 showings during his 2010 POY season, carded six birdies and one bogey en route to second-lowest round of the day. Thompson, who finished T2 in the 2012 U.S. Open, trails only Luke Guthrie, who fired a Friday-low 63 and is 9-under par.
Former NGA TOUR player Boo Weekley backed up his 4-under 66 in the first round with a 3-under 67 on Friday to move into a tie for third at 7-under par. Weekley, who competed on the NGA TOUR in 2006, recorded six birdies and three bogeys at PGA National in the third round of play.
NGA TOUR alum Sean O’Hair used a 2-under 68 in the second round at PGA National to move into a tie for fifth at 6-under par, while NGAers Brian Stuard (69), Lucas Glover (66) and Tom Gillis (68) are tied for 11th at 5-under par.
Robert Streb, a 2012 NGA TOUR member, is also tied for 11th heading into the weekend. Streb, a veteran of 33 NGA TOUR starts, posted an even-par 70 on Friday, but his 5-under 65 in the opening round kept him in the fray for the weekend.
Keegan Bradley, a 2009 NGA TOUR member and winner, posted his second 68 in as many days to move into a tie for 18th at 4-under par. NGA TOUR alums Jeff Klauk (69) and Chris Kirk (69) are also T18 and 4-under par.
For full-field scores, click here.
Web.com Tour: Bogota, Colombia – Two-time NGA TOUR winner Jim Renner fired the lowest round of the day in the Web.com Tour’s Colombia Championship to move into tie for first with fellow NGAers B.J. Staten and D.J Brigman.
Renner, a veteran of 58 NGA TOUR starts, went bogey-free around Country Club de Bogota and rattled in six birdies en route to a 6-under 65. Renner is 8-under par following the second round of play.
Staten, a three-year NGA TOUR competitor, backed up his first-round 67 with another in the second round, while Brigman, who played on the NGA TOUR in 2000-03, did the same, firing a 67 for the second day in a row to reach 8-under par for the event.
NGAers Shane Bertsch (71) and Edward Loar (69) will start the weekend tied for fifth at 7-under par. Ryan Spears, the 2011 NGA TOUR Rookie of the Year, carded a 5-under 66 on Friday to move to 6-under par and into a tie for ninth with alum Alexandre Rocha (70).
For full-field scores, click here.
Thursday Updates: NGA winner Camilo Villegas leads Honda Classic
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – (March 1, 2013) – Former NGA TOUR winner Camilo Villegas carded a 64 in the opening round of the Honda Classic on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the PGA TOUR event.
Villegas, who won the 2005 Savannah Lakes Classic, was 4-under par going into the final hole of the day, but the University of Florida alum’s eagle on the final hole of the day was good enough to put him atop the leaderboard at 6-under par.
Robert Streb, a 2012 NGA TOUR member, was one of four golfers tied for second following Thursday’s round. Streb, a veteran of 33 NGA TOUR starts, played PGA National without a bogey and added three birdies and one eagle to finish the day with a 5-under 65.
NGA TOUR alums Boo Weekley, Sean O’Hair and Brian Stuard also finished the first round inside the top 10, shooting 4-under 66s. The threesome will start the second round T6 at 4-under par.
Michael Thompson, the 2010 NGA TOUR Player of the Year, opened with a 3-under 67 and was tied for 16th with NGA TOUR alums Jeff Klauk, Chris Stroud, Tom Gillis and Brian Gay following the first round.
NGAers Russell Henley, Gary Woodland, Stewart Cink, Chris Kirk and 2009 NGA TOUR member Keegan Bradley finished the first round T30 at 2-under par.
For full-field scores, click here.
Web.com Tour: Bogota, Colombia – Former NGA TOUR members Sam Saunders and Shane Bertsch posted 6-under 65s in the first round of the Colombia Championship on Thursday to earn a share of second in the Web.com Tour event.
Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer, had a chance to take the first-round lead, but his double bogey on the final hole of the day left him one shot behind Danny Lee. Bertsch posted seven birdies and one bogey in the first round.
NGA TOUR alums Ron Whittaker, Edward Loar and Alexandre Rocha finished the day tied for fourth after carding 5-under 66s, while veterans Alex Aragon, B.J. Staten and D.J. Brigman finished the round T8 at 4-under par.
Manuel Villegas, the younger brother of Camilo and a NGA TOUR winner, carded six birdies and three bogeys to finish the day tied for 15th at 3-under par. NGA TORU alums Kyle Reifers, Will Mackenzie, Marco Dawson and Glen Day also opened with 3-under 68s and were tied for 15th at the end of the day.
For full-field scores, click here.
Nearly 150 NGA TOUR alums in PGA, Web.com fields
Myrtle Beach, S.C. – (Nearly 150 NGA TOUR alums in PGA, Web.com fieldsFebruary 27, 2013) – While 168 NGA TOUR players are teeing it up in the Spring Hill Classic, there will be nearly as many NGA TOUR alums competing on the PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour this week.
Over 150 NGA TOUR alumni are split between the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic and Web.com Tour’s Colombia Championship, aiming to improve on their already-impressive stats on the top two tours.
Through the first seven stroke-play PGA TOUR events of the season, NGA TOUR alums have earned three victories, one second-place finish and three third-place finishes on the No. 1 tour in the world. Several NGA TOUR alums are among the golfers expected to contend for the victory this week.
NGA TOUR alumnus Keegan Bradley, Chris Kirk and Russell Henley all earned spots in the PGATOUR.com’s Power Rankings for the Honda Classic.
Kirk, a former UGA star and 2009 NGA TOUR competitor, finished second in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am a few weeks ago, grabbing his second top-five finish of the season. The UGA alum will be making his third start at Honda Classic, where his best finish of T29 came during the 2011 season. Kirk is ranked No. 7.
Bradley, a 2009 NGA TOUR member and winner, flirted with the lead throughout much of the 2012 Honda before slipping to T12 at the finish. While he’s yet to earn another victory on the PGA TOUR this season, Bradley has three top-25 finishes in 2013, including a T4 in the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions, and is ranked No. 8 this week.
Henley, a 2012 NGA TOUR competitor, continues to gain respect on the PGA TOUR, earning the No. 15 ranking this week. Henley, a former UGA standout, has picked up a win and earned over $1.1 million dollars in his first five starts on the PGA TOUR as a rookie.
Ted Potter Jr., a two-time NGA TOUR Player of the Year and 2011 member, was unable to crack the Power Rankings this week, but another solid outing this week will force everyone to take notice.
After an all-or-nothing rookie season on the PGA TOUR, where he won but missed 12 of 25 cuts, Potter has already surpassed his season total of top-25 finishes from last year. Potter has three top 25s, including a season-best T10 finish in the Northern Trust Open.
NGA TOUR alums also made their presence known in the Web.com Tour Power Rankings this week. After earning five top-10 finishes in the Panama Claro Championship last week, NGAers hold down two of the five spots in the rankings this week.
Paul Claxton, a two-time NGA TOUR winner, enters the Colombia Championship in the No. 2 spots in the rankings. In two starts in the Colombia Championship, Claxton has a pair of top-15 finishes.
Scott Brown, a 2008 NGA TOUR member, matched the Sunday-low round last week in Panama, firing a 66 to finish third in the season opener. Buoyed by the momentum, Brown is ranked No. 3 for the Colombia Championship, where he tied for fifth two years ago.
The Colombia Championship will also feature 2012 NGA TOUR members Danny Ellis, Matt Harmon, Jonathan Hodges, Randall Hutchison, Andrew Loupe, B.J. Macpherson, Mark Silvers, Manuel Villegas and Ryan Spears as well as 2012-13 Bridgestone Winter Series winners Joe Affrunti and Rob Oppenheim. Josh Broadaway, who finished T27 in the Killearn Country Club Classic, is also in the field this week in Bogota.
The NGA Pro Golf Tour is the No. 3 Men’s Professional Golf Tour in the United States after the PGA and Web.com Tours and is the No. 1 recommended developmental tour by more PGA and Web.com Tour Professionals.
The NGA has helped hundreds of professionals acquire their PGA TOUR, Euro, Web.com, and Champions Tour cards. In fact, NGA alumni have won an incredible Fifteen (15) “Major” Championships.
NGA alumni include: 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson; 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley; 2010 PGA TOUR Player of the Year and 2003 US Open Champion Jim Furyk; 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink; 2009 U.S. Open Champion Lucas Glover; 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson; 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel; 2003 British Open Champion Ben Curtis; two-time U.S. Open Champion Lee Janzen; British Open and PGA Champion John Daly; British Open Champion Tom Lehman; PGA Champion David Toms; 2003 Tour Championship Winner Chad Campbell; 2010 NGA Player of the Year Michael Thompson; 2012 PGA TOUR winners Mark Wilson, George McNeill, Ted Potter Jr., Scott Stallings and Scott Piercy.
The NGA Pro Golf Tour, established in 1988, predates the Web.com Tour as the longest running developmental tour in golf. In 2012, the NGA TOUR became the “Official Partner of the 2012 Reno-Tahoe Open” and secured one PGA TOUR and six Web.com Tour event exemptions for its members, the most in developmental golf.
For more information on the NGA or the NGA Pro Golf Tour, please visit our website at www.NGATOUR.com or contact our Tour Office at (800) 992-8748.
NGA TOUR alumni in the Honda Classic:
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NGA TOUR alumni in Colombia Championship:
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