Davis Thompson’s record-breaking win at the John Deere Classic is “just the beginning” of what he thinks will be a long and prosperous career.

Apologies for focusing on the tournament-within-a-tournament and this tournament-within-a-tournament first, but it’s all Davis Thompson’s fault. On his way to his first PGA TOUR title at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois on Sunday, Thompson denied anyone a chance to win the coveted Kicking Stag Trophy and the $1.44 million top prize.

Ruining all the drama, not to mention the hopes of his pursuers, Thompson, trailing by two after 54 holes, birdied five of his first six holes, bowed out at 29 and sent the rest of the field scrambling for second place and a place in the Open Championship two weeks later at Royal Troon.

And believe us, this skirmish was much more interesting when there were half a dozen players competing. But first, let’s give credit to Thompson for turning the main story into a big mistake. In his 63rd PGA Tour start, the former University of Georgia All-American was as cool as an iceberg and almost as stoic, at least until the end. A final round seven-under 64 gave him a tournament record 28-under 256 overall and a four-shot victory. Thompson, 25, is the ninth first-time winner on the circuit this year and the 24th first-time winner at the event.

When he made par on the TPC Deere Run home hole, he shared a long hug with his wife, Holly Grace, and sobbed on her shoulder, the only time he broke down all day.
“I played great all week. I had some issues on Friday, but I worked hard after my round and it helped me step it up a gear this weekend,” said Thompson, who moved up from 70th in the world to 38th with his win. “It feels good. A lot of hard work went into this, and thankfully I was able to get the job done this weekend.”

Coming off a T-9 finish at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst and a T-2 at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit—his second runner-up in six weeks—Thompson seemed primed for the push that got him to his maiden victory. He sensed it was coming, too. “The goal, I guess, in May was to make the playoffs, and then I finished second in Myrtle Beach, then ninth at the U.S. Open and second last week,” he said. “My goal this week was just to knock the door down and get a win, honestly.”

Thompson birdied the first hole with your destiny-seeking 44-footer to immediately increase his lead from two shots to three over Eric Cole and Aaron Rai, and while it was far from over, it certainly seemed go in this direction. He then moved up and down for birdie at the second from three feet to extend his lead to four.

He then birdied the fourth from 13 feet, the fifth from 29 feet and the sixth from 12 feet for a six-shot lead. Of those 29 strikeouts, he made a 120-foot putt. He took it home with only the brief threat of a “flock of birds” on a fairly quiet back nine. (Afterwards, he had to pay at the legendary Maison des Trophies, the mansion where the past three winners now appear.) The Hunters, trying to outdo each other for second-place honors. In this case, it was a big deal.
With the win, Thompson not only qualified for the Masters, but also secured one of two spots in the Deer Open, one of 16 events in the qualifying series for the 152nd British Open.

The other place went to C.T. Pan tied for second with Michael Torbjornsen, playing in just his third tournament as a pro, and amateur Luke Clanton with a score of 24-under 260. Torbjornsen and Clanton, who are eight years away from Champions Tour eligibility due to their combined age, each earned 63 points, while Pan, a 2021 Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist, earned 64 points but qualified for Troon thanks to his higher world ranking in 144th place. The 20-year-old Clanton is a junior from Florida State who became the first amateur to finish in consecutive top 10s on tour since Billy Joe Patton in 1958. Lovers are having fun all year round, right? Bin Griffin, Carson Young, and Denny McCarsey also had dust behind Thompson.

Griffin was shot at the bottom (62) of the day, but he could not catch his neighbor, and the deceased ghost sacrificed him an outdoor shot. Griffin estimates that his house in St. Simons Island, Georgia, is about five feet away from Thompson’s house next door. “He’s just so solid,” he said. He’s got power, he hits it straight. He does everything you’d expect from an elite golfer,” Griffin said of Thompson. “I knew both of us … one of us was going to get a win sooner rather than later. Great guy. He didn’t even lean in to say much. He just does what he does and isn’t afraid to make a bunch of birdies as far as we know.

Thompson shot 30, by far the best in the field, which isn’t surprising for a player who ranks 29th on the tour in birdie average. His adjusted scoring average of 70.076 ranks seventh overall. Looks like this guy might be here to stay for a long time.