By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

HONOLULU -- Michael Thompson came to the Sony Open in Hawaii with few expectations.

His practice time prior to leaving for Hawaii had been curtailed -- first because of an illness, then because of unusually cold weather in his hometown of Birmingham.

Even when he got here, he didn't feel comfortable with the practice range at Waialae.

"I really just wanted to play and get the rust off my game," he said.

He did more than that. After posting even-par 70 on the first day, the former University of Alabama star found his rhythm on the second day, shooting a 65 and then shot 68-67 on the weekend to give him a top-10 finish at 10 under for the third time since joining the PGA TOUR last year.

"Anytime you reach double digits under par out here on the PGA TOUR, something to be said for that," Thompson said. "Going to ride the wave, keep on going and see what happens."

Thompson made four putts outside 10 feet on Sunday, including a 42-footer for birdie at the 11th hole and a 34-footer at the 13th hole. For the day, he made 142 feet of putts, second most behind John Rollins' 144 feet.

"I made two putts over 35 feet and that's really rare to happen on these greens," he said. "And you know, it's just special. It's fun to watch that ball disappear."

Thompson ever so briefly held a share of the lead. He was 11 under with two holes to play but bogeyed the par-3 17th when his tee shot got caught in the wind and bounced into the bunker. He failed to birdie the par-5 18th after his 10-foot putt took the grain and pulled away from the hole at the last roll.

Still, it was a good start to the season for the second-year man.

"It was great being in the hunt," he said. "My goal this year is to put myself in contention as many times as I can. To do it on the first tournament is a little out of the ordinary for me." 

By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Michael Thompson won’t be leaving Sea Island with his first career victory, but he won’t be going home empty handed either. The 54-hole leader suffered a bogey on the 72nd hole which left him one shot out of the Ben Crane-Webb Simpson playoff Sunday at Sea Island. His third-place earnings, however, will ensure the rookie and 2010 q-school graduate of a spot on the PGA TOUR next season. “In the big picture, it’s not a bad thing,” Thompson said. “Hey, I get to play next year and that’s a huge accomplishment. Check that off the list, and you never know. I’m playing good and next week, I might have a chance again.” Thompson led by as many as three shots during Sunday’s final round, but a 2-over 37 on the back nine, combined with Ben Crane’s back-nine 30, left the rookie on the outside of the playoff. He was tied with Crane and Simpson, who had both completed their rounds at 15 under, when he stepped onto the 18th tee. Thompson hit a 264-yard drive into a water hazard right of the right fairway bunker, a shot e said was simply a “mental error.” Thompson took his drop and hit a 222-yard approach within 27 feet, still with a chance to get into the playoff. The par putt broke left the cup and Thompson knew he’d missed his chance. “I had a really good chance to win, but that’s all part of the experience,” Thompson said. “I’m right in the same shoes that Webb Simpson was when he first came out on TOUR and look where he is now. You’ve got to go through the disappointing times in order to get to the happy times and success.” Thompson, the 2010 Hooters Tour Player of the Year and former SEC Champion, started the week at No. 116 on the money list and improves to 94th, plenty secure in his TOUR status for 2012.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Ben Crane has company in the clubhouse at 15 under. With seven pars to close out his round, Webb Simpson joined crane at that number through 72 holes. Michael Thompson, who is on No. 18 at 15 under, needs to hole a 27-foot par putt to join them in a playoff for the McGladrey Classic title.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Ben Crane’s clubhouse lead at 15 under remains the number to beat at Sea Island. Webb Simpson has parred six straight and is also at 15 under on the 18th hole. Michael Thompson has four pars in a row and remains at 15 under through 16. Louis Oosthuizen, who could have joined the crowd at 15 under with a birdie on No. 18, settled for a bogey and a 13 under total after 72 holes.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Ben Crane has birdied holes 16 and 17 at Sea Island and joined Webb Simpson and Michael Thompson atop the leaderboard at 15 under. Simpson, who reached 15 under with a birdie on No. 11, has parred three consecutive holes. Thompson, also at 15 under through 14, bogeyed No. 12 to get to that number and parred his next two to stay there.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- With no one making a run, Michael Thompson may be able to play it safe and defend his 16 under mark to win the McGladrey Classic. The rookie is 3 under at the turn and was only tested twice on the front nine. They golfer they call “Slick” holed a 4-footer for par on No. 8 and a 6-footer on No. 9 to stay at 16 under around the turn. Thompson leads Webb Simpson by three shots. Simpson is 2 under on the day through the front nine. Four back is Louis Oosthuizen. The 2010 British Open champion is 3 under for his round. Billy Horschel, the 36-hole leader who is playing in the final pairing with Thompson, is 3 over and now seven shots off the pace. In need of a strong finish to secure his TOUR card for 2012, Horschel currently projects to No. 133 on the Money list.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- His lead was gone two holes ago but Michael Thompson has gone birdie-birdie while final-groupmate Billy Horschel has went bogey-triple and Thompson now has a two-shot lead at Sea Island. Horschel, with two birdies on his first three holes, had taken a one-shot lead at 14 under. But he has since given the four shots back and fallen into a seven-way tie for fourth. Thompson is at 15 under after five holes, putting him two shots clear of Webb Simpson, who has completed six in his final round. 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen checks in at No. 3, four shots back.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Things are getting crowded at Sea Island. Michael Thompson, who entered Sunday alone atop the leaderboard at 13 under, has been tied by Billy Horschel after a 9-foot birdie conversion on the first hole. Webb Simpson, a two-time winner this year chasing the money list lead, also birdied No. 1 to reach 12 under. Tervor Immelman has two pars today and is 11 under, two back, while Louis Oosthuizen is 1 under through four and 10 under on the week.

By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- The season of unpredictability on the PGA TOUR continues today on St. Simons Island. The final pairing at the McGladrey Classic tees off at 1:15 p.m. ET and features two 2010 q-school graduates and PGA TOUR rookies, both looking for their first TOUR victory and job security for next season. Michael Thompson, an Alabama graduate and last year’s Hooters Tour Player of the Year, is in sole possession of the lead at 13 under. One back is former Florida Gator Billy Horschel, a 2009 and 2010 q-school graduate who lost most of his 2009 season because of a wrist injury and retained rookie status this season. The two former SEC champions renew their rivalry for the second straight day at Sea Island. “I’ve played with (Billy) a couple times during college and I’ve played with him once this year,” Thompson said. “Billy and I have a lot in common… We’re just two young guys having a great time on the PGA TOUR.” Thompson trailed Horschel by one shot prior to the third round, but had three birdies on his front nine and parred his final nine holes Saturday to take a one-shot lead. “I know how to think now, in the final group on the weekend,” Thompson said. “Whether I have the lead or not, it really doesn’t matter. I’m just going to go out and play my game and add up the score at the end. Hopefully I’ll be the top guy.” After a pair of 64s to open the week, Horschel, who entered the week at No. 139 on the money list, never got on track Saturday, posting an even-par 70 to stay at 12 under through 54 holes. “I couldn’t win on Saturday,” Horschel said. “No one can ever win on Saturday unless there’s a storm coming in on Sunday and just washes the thing out. So obviously being one back of the lead going into the final round, I’ll take it. It would have been nice to be one ahead, but to be in contention going into the last day, I’ll take it.” The rookies will have some tough pursuers starting at 11 under in the next-to-last group: Trevor Immelman and Webb Simpson. Immelman, the 2008 Masters Champion who hasn’t had a full healthy season since 2006, tied a tournament record with an 8-under 62 Saturday to get within two shots of the lead. Simpson, who is trying to move ahead of Luke Donald for the top spot on the PGA TOUR money list, hit 13 fairways and 17 greens Saturday, but couldn’t get the birdie putts to drop in a 1-under 69. “I’m excited,” Simpson said after Saturday’s third round. “I looked at the board, and the guys are honestly playing well, but we’re well within reach. The only goal for today was to keep myself in the golf tournament and try to have a chance to win tomorrow, and I think we did that.” A victory for Simpson would be his third of the year and not only move him atop the money list, but improve his chances at winning the PGA TOUR Player of the Year award. Also in contention, and just four shots off the pace are Jeff Overton, Kris Blanks and Nick O’Hern, at trio of players in search of their first TOUR victories. Also in that group at 9 under is 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, who is in search of his first win in the U.S. Barring an Immelman-like round from anyone in that group, they’ll need help from the final pairing, which will have control of how this final round shapes up. Quick starts from Horschel and Thompson could make it a two- or three-man race while a sluggish opening can bring as many as a dozen guys into the fold as potential winners. “I’m in a good position,” Horschel said. “If I just shoot a low number and give myself a chance, who knows what happens.” In this season of unpredictability, what happens today at Sea Island is anyone’s guess.

By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Michael Thompson was worried about staying focused on the task at hand and maintaining his position prior to the third round of the McGladrey Classic. He held up his end Saturday and saw his opponent succumb to one costly mistake on the back nine, giving him the 54-hole lead at Sea Island. The 2010 q-school graduate and Hooters Tour Player of the Year parred every hole on the back nine and took over the lead when his groupmate, Billy Horschel, suffered a double bogey on the par-4 16th. He now stands 18 holes away from his first victory on the PGA TOUR. “A bogey-free round today on Saturday is always a good thing, no matter where I stand,” Thompson said. “To have the lead going into tomorrow is very exciting. All in all, a great day. I’m just very, very excited about tomorrow. I’m going to learn a lot and I’m just going to enjoy it.” Thompson’s even-par back nine wasn’t all smooth sailings. On the par-4 14th, he pulled his tee shot to the left and missed his second shot 27 yards right of the green near the cart path. After taking relief, Thompson blasted his third shot just inside 10 feet and proceeded to drain the putt and keep his run of pars intact. “That was a critical moment in terms of keeping up the momentum,” Thompson said. “I kind of felt like I got away with one there… I was kind of losing my tee shots a bit on the back nine and I got into trouble where I normally shouldn’t have been. To be able to play under that pressure, now I know I can do it.” Thompson almost broke out of his birdie drought on No. 18 but his attempt from 11 feet away just missed. “That was one of the best putts I hit all day,” Thompson said. “I hit that so solid, looked like it was going in the hole about a foot out, and I don’t know, something yanked it left. Just one of those things where you hit a good putt, be happy about it. If it goes in, great; if not, not the end of the world.” The week goes on tomorrow as Thompson, an Alabama graduate, and former Florida Gator Horschel will renew their SEC rivalry Sunday when they play in the final pairing for the second consecutive day. Thompson hopes the comfort of golfing again with a friend of his will help him on Sunday. “We had a great time out there,” he said. “We were talking a lot. We were laughing. It was just like playing at your country club on a Saturday. It really made me feel comfortable going out there and playing with a buddy of mine … I’m just going to go out there, play my game and add up the score at the end and hopefully I’ll be the top guy.”