M. Thompson makes Honda Classic his first win
March 3, 2013 - 6:55 PM ET
Michael Thompson spun a 1-under-par 34-35=69 in the final round of The Honda Classic to drive off with a two-stroke win over Geoff Ogivly at 9-under 271.
The win is Thompson's first, and it came with little warning as he had missed three of his four cuts this season and hadn't cracked the top 70 in any event. It wasn't always pretty in difficult conditions at PGA National, and he squared four bogeys along the way, but his three birdies and an eagle got the job done. He stepped onto the final tee needing just a par to close out the tournament and did one better with a spectacular third shot from a greenside bunker, leaving him with a ceremonial tap-in birdie. His previous best finish was a runner-up at the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic Club. It is fitting that his win came on a course where par had significant value. This victory gains him entry in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship. He's also risen from 114th to 45th in the Official World Golf Ranking, qualifying him into this week's WGC-Cadillac Championship. (The top 50 in the latest update became eligible.)
