Page 37 - Western Amateur 120th Championship Program 2022, Exmoor Country Club

2021 Western Amateur Recap
‘Thor’ joins elite company

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN
WAS DOMINANT FROM
START TO FINISH AT THE
119TH WESTERN AMATEUR
Michael Thorbjornsen, of Wellesley,
Massachusetts, made quite a first
impression at the 119th Western
Amateur at Glen View Club.
In his debut performance, the 19-year-
old Stanford sophomore shot a course
record 62 in round two on his way
to earning medalist honors and,
eventually, the George R. Thorne
Trophy. Thorbjornsen beat Vanderbilt
freshman Gordon Sargent, of Michael Thorbjornsen putting during the final round of the 2021 Western Amateur
Birmingham, Alabama, 4 and 3 in the
a row to go 4 up with five holes Thorbjornsen flexed his muscle during
championship match on July 31, 2021.
remaining. They tied the next two stroke play. His 8-under 62 in the
He joined a collection of Western holes with pars to end the match. second round established the Glen
Amateur champions that includes View Club course record, and he
“I could kind of feel the momentum
Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and finished 13 under after 72 holes.
switch,” Thorbjornsen said. “But I had
Tiger Woods. Thorbjornsen is the first solo medalist
to remind myself that I was still leading.
to win the title since Norman Xiong
“I was not aware of the select company That birdie on 11 switched the
in 2017 at Skokie Country Club in
I’m in now,” said Thorbjornsen. momentum back in my favor.”
Glencoe, Illinois.
After Sargent strung together birdies at Thorbjornsen needed a late rally in
The 18-year-old Sargent, another
Nos. 9 and 10 to get 1 down, Thorbjornsen the morning to advance to the final.
Western Amateur first-timer, showcased
responded with a run of three birdies in He trailed North Carolina junior
his talent and potential all week. He
Austin Greaser, of Vandalia, Ohio, 1
shot 9 under during stroke play to take
down after Greaser holed out for birdie
seventh, carding 65 in the second round.
from a bunker on the par-3 14th. But
In the semifinals of match play, he
Thorbjornsen birdied No. 15 — the
defeated defending champion and
most difficult hole all week — and
Texas senior Pierceson Coody, of Plano,
followed with another at the 17th to
Texas, 1 up. At the time, Coody was the
take the lead for good.
No. 2-ranked player in the World
He carried that momentum over to Amateur Golf Rankings.
the final by winning four of the first
“There’s nothing negative I will take
six holes.
away from this week,” Sargent said. “So
“He was locked in early,” said Drew many positives. This is the best amateur
Cohen, his best friend and caddie. “I field and to be able to compete against
could tell something special was going these players gives me a lot of
to happen. Even though we had that confidence.”
big lead, we didn’t want to overlook
[Sargent] or get overconfident. But I
will say Michael is very intimidating
Michael Thorbjornsen with the to play against.”
George R. Thorne Trophy

2022 Western Amateur Championship Western Amateur Championship History 35