Michael Thompson posts first PGA win in seven years at 3M Open

Michael Thompson birdied two of the last three holes Sunday for a four-under 67 and a two-stroke victory in the 3M Open, finishing off his second PGA Tour win seven years after his first.

“An unbelievable day,” Thompson said. “I played really solid golf. I think I only had three bogeys all week. Just really stuck to my game, played Michael Thompson golf, allowed my putter to speak volumes.”

Thompson finished at 19-under 265 at TPC Twin Cities.

Adam Long was second after a 64. Richy Werenski, who shared the lead with Thompson after both Friday and Saturday, had a 70 for his worst round of the tournament and settled for a nine-way tie for third, three strokes back.

Tony Finau finished in the third-place group, too, after a 68. He was the only one among the five top-30 players in the field to reach the weekend, far outperforming Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Paul Casey.

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Nobody throughout the windy and muggy week in Minnesota was steadier than Thompson, who entered the week 151st in the FedEx Cup standings and rocketed up to 39th on the way to Tennessee for the World Golf Championships event.

He deftly steered around the water danger on the 18th, landing his approach on the back of the green within 15 feet. With Long in the clubhouse, having played five groups ahead, Thompson had two putts to win. He needed only one, bending backward and thrusting both arms in the air after the ball dropped in the cup in a celebration subdued a bit by the absence of spectators due to the pandemic.

Thompson’s best previous finish in this stopped-and-restarted season was a tie for eighth at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and he missed the cut in his last start at the Workday Charity Open in Ohio two weeks ago. For this win, he not only secured a spot in the U.S. Open but also a prize of $1,188,000.