What better way to spend your vacation time than cheering on your older brother on the PGA Tour right here in your hometown?
Lexi Thompson was accompanying her older brother, Curtis Thompson, a Tour rookie, in Round 1 of the Honda Classic at PGA National, despite being in the midst of a six-week layoff in her LPGA season. And after 14 holes, the world’s No. 10 female golfer received the moment she had been waiting for.
Curtis reached the turn at 1 over par, but on the back nine, he began to find his stride. He had clawed back to 2 under par, four strokes off the lead, by the time he reached the par-4 sixth (his 15th hole), and his climb continued when he holed out for eagle from 204 yards. It was the first eagle on the sixth hole since the tournament moved to PGA National in 2007.
Curtis, a two-time All-American at LSU, made his younger sister happy by birdieing the next hole with a 28-foot putt. However, he had a bogey on No. 17 and a double on No. 18 to finish at even par and T-45.
After Round 1, he commented, “I was playing quite well up until the last couple of holes,” but “it is what it is.”
Curtis has extensive expertise at PGA National, which is located less than an hour from the Thompsons’ house. Lexi was in the gallery in 2014 when Curtis received his Korn Ferry Tour card. He continued to perform on that tour till 2018. Then, in 2019, he regained his KFT card at Q-School, received his Tour card in August, and is now living out a boyhood goal.
He said, “Obviously a little bigger stage [today].” “Here are some of my favorite memories. I’ve been coming here to play since I was a youngster, possibly around the age of ten. It’s a little more charred. It’s a touch faster than when I last played it, but it’s still the same course. I enjoy being here and spending time with my family. Hopefully, I’ll be able to put together a fantastic week.”
