GolfTalkCentral

Thompson finishes second, learned to love Olympic

By Randall Mell
Jun 18, 2012 12:35 AM ET

SAN FRANCISCO – Michael Thompson didn’t follow in the footsteps of Jack Fleck and shock the world winning a U.S. Open Sunday at The Olympic Club, but he came close.

Thompson, 27, a second-year PGA Tour pro from Birmingham, Ala., looking for his first PGA Tour victory, earned a U.S. Open silver medal for tying for second. He finished a shot behind Webb Simpson.

Thompson had good vibes working for him all week. He lost in the finals of the U.S. Amateur in 2007 at The Olympic Club. He spent this week staying with the same San Francisco family that he stayed with back when he lost to Colt Knost in that U.S. Amateur final.

“I think it helped me a ton,” Thompson said of his familiarity with The Olympic Club. “Through the U.S. Amateur, I learned to love the golf course.”

Thompson started the U.S. Open with a 4-under-par 66 to take the first-round lead. He closed hard with a 67.