Thornberry ready for his shot at US Open
Olive Branch golfer coming off tie for 26th at FedEx St. Jude Classic
Dustin Johnson walked into the fitness trailer at TPC Southwind last week and Braden Thornberry admitted to being a little star struck. Although his performance on the golf course at the FedEx St. Jude Classic the past two years belied his relative inexperience, the Olive Branch native still has only four PGA Tour appearances under his belt.
His next foray into golf ’s professional ranks will be the biggest test yet.
Thornberry is one of 20 amateurs scheduled to tee off in the U.S. Open on Thursday at Shinnecock Hills in New York, and how he got there is helping him feel like he belongs around the best golfers in the world.
“Qualifying for the U.S. Open, knowing there’s a lot of pros that didn’t, I think just being there kind of helps you feel that way,” Thornberry said Sunday after finishing 4-under and in a tie for 26th as a sponsor’s exemption at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. “I was given a spot here, and I earned a spot there.”
Thornberry qualified for the U.S. Open last week via a 36-hole sectional that took place at Ridgeway and Colonial County Clubs here in Memphis. The Ole Miss golfer will be making his first appearance in a major, but his performances in Memphis recently suggest he won’t be overwhelmed.
Last year at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, Thornberry was the leader in the clubhouse during the final round, and his fourth-place finish was the best by an amateur on the PGA Tour in 2017. The DeSoto Central High graduate is currently No. 3 on the world amateur golf rankings.
This week will be different simply because Thornberry never has played Shinnecock Hills, whereas he estimated that he had played 30 or 35 rounds at TPC Southwind. Still, even Ole Miss men’s golf coach Chris Malloy is emphasizing to Thornberry “that you don’t show up to any tournament with any other goal in mind but to win.”
“I don’t really ever play a golf tournament that I’m not trying to win,” Thornberry added Sunday. “Obviously, it’s a little harder to win when it’s the U.S. Open. But I plan to get up there and put myself in contention just like I have here and go from there.”
To that end, Thornberry and Malloy have been seeking tips on how he can best position himself for success this week.
Malloy said defending U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka told him Thornberry’s game will be well-suited for Shinnecock Hills. Thornberry noted he planned to taper his practice rounds, even though he’s unfamiliar with the course, so as not to wear down too early. It’s at the suggestion of other golfers who have played the U.S. Open before.
It should help that Thornberry will have Matt Achatz as his caddie this week. Achatz served in the same role for Rocco Mediate when he lost to Tiger Woods in a playoff at the U.S. Open 10 years ago.
the U.S. Open.” Braden Thornberry
Thornberry said that’s also his first memory of watching golf on television.
Despite his success on the PGA Tour, Thornberry reiterated over the past week that he’s in no rush to turn pro. Other golfers have offered their input, particularly since he missed out on more than $292,000 in prize money based on his performances at the FedEx St. Jude Classic the past two years.
But Thornberry said he’s still planning to return to Ole Miss for his senior year.
“I like everything about college golf,” Thornberry said. “It just really is a place to get better without having a lot of pressure on you. I think that’s kind of been my main reason. I’ve been in school and enjoying it with my friends and at the same time getting more and more prepared to come out here in the future.”
That, however, hasn’t stopped him from dreaming about what could be this week.
“It seems like every year there’s an amateur or two who’s up there near the lead,” Thornberry said.