KAPALUA, Hawaii – Michael Thompson didn’t enter the first round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in a very good mood.
A graduate of the University of Alabama, Thompson watched his school’s football team unexpectedly fall to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl the night before.
“I was not a happy person last night. You can ask my wife. I didn’t say much after the game,” he admitted. “But I came out here with a clear head, which is good, and just tried to enjoy myself.”
His round turned out to be much more enjoyable than the game, as Thompson posted a bogey-free 7-under 66 to climb the early leaderboard.
“I made a couple errant swings, but for the most part, I stayed in the moment,” he said. “I never started thinking about the future, and just played every shot 100 percent effort. So that would be the greatest success today.”
For the round, Thompson carded seven birdies, including four on his final five holes.