Curtis

Thompson

The 29-year-old’s foray onto the main stage has been underwhelming, making eight cuts, missing nine, and now adding his first mid-tourney WD in 22 career events. He arrived off a missed cut by two at last week’s inaugural Mexico Open (75-67), and has posted two top 25s so far this campaign, a T21 two starts ago at the Zurich (teamed w/ fellow rookie Nick Hardy), and a career-best T7 at the Bermuda Championship back in October. Today, out of the early wave with Greyson Sigg and amateur Jacob Bridgeman, the South Floridian played nine holes in birdie-less 10-over (3 bogeys, 2 doubles, 1 triple) before calling it quits.

The South Florida native and resident, who ended up four adrift of fellow first-timer and champion Lucas Herbert (69), improves to 1-for-4 on the season. Overall, it’s his second TOUR paycheck in eight events, joining a T21 on debut at last season’s Rocket Mortgage as a non-member, sponsor invite, and the top 10 earns him an exemption into this coming week’s Mayakoba. For the week, the 28-year-old recorded rounds of 69-67-67-70, the 67s career-tying-lows, and totaled 19 birdies against six bogeys and a double.

First-timer and TOUR rookie Curtis Thompson will have one of the later tee times off No. 1 tee after signing for an up-and-down 4-under-par 33-34=67 after R3. He’s currently up one place to solo 9th on 10-under 203 (69-67-67), six adrift of the leader on the course and fellow rookie Taylor Pendrith, who was the overnight leader by one and is 5-under thru 16 holes and 16-under total. Thompson rang up seven birdies on 13 greens in regulation, taking some gloss off with double bogey-6 at 14 and bogey-4 at the crazy-difficult par-3 16th. This is his eighth career TOUR start, fourth as a member, with a T21 his lone top 25 thus far, which came on debut at last season’s Rocket Mortgage as a non-member, sponsor invite (69-72-67-68).

The other co-leaders are Jason Millard, Scott Harrington, Ben Silverman and Kent Bulle. Thompson began his round on the back nine at Panther Creek Country Club, circling three birdies to go with six pars before turning to the front. He tacked on three birdies and an eagle to go with just one bogey on his closing nine. At 41st on the Web.com Tour money list, he would likely lock up a 2016-17 PGA TOUR card with a win this week.

Arguably best known as brother to Nicholas and Lexi, Curtis is navigating his rookie year on the Web.com Tour. After posting top 15s in two of his first three starts, he drifted to 85th on the money list to start August. But he’s rallied for three straight paydays, including top 15s in his last two, to rise to 68th in earnings. Today’s brilliant effort broke the old course record by one stroke; it was established by five others in last year’s inaugural edition. The 22-year-old from Florida split 10 (of 13) fairways, hit 16 greens in regulation and connected for a field-tying-high nine birdies today. Canada’s Adam Svensson opened with a bogey-free, 7-under 64 and sits alone in second place. Money leader Patton Kizzire is among five golfers at T3, three swings in arrears of Thompson.

Thompson’s 10-under 130 has lapped the field, with a tie for second place falling at 5-under 135. His second round began on the 10th hole, and he opened fast with four birdies in his first seven holes. He began the front nine with a birdie on the par-4 first hole before handing back his only stroke of the day with a bogey at the par-4 second. An eagle at the par-5 fourth broke up the monotony of six pars over his final seven holes. He’ll now try to stretch and protect his lead over the final 36 holes.

Thompson sits at 8-under 202 and leads a trio of his closest pursuers by two. He spread two birdies and two bogeys across Panama GC’s first 17 holes before suffering a double bogey on the closing par 4. The pressure will be on as he tries to close out the opening Web.com Tour event of the 2016 season with a victory. He’s already seen his 36-hole lead shrink from five strokes to the current margin of two. Should he win, it would be his first of his Web.com Tour career.