Alabama's Thompson Gets Another Honor

University of Alabama golfer Michael Thompson was named Tuesday to the inaugural All-Nicklaus Team. The Golf Coaches’ Association of America announced the 20 honorees, drawing the team from golfers who played collegiately in NCAA Division I, II, III and the NAIA this past season.

Michael Thompson received numerous honors this year as he led the Alabama golf team of Coach Jay Seawell to six tournament championships, including the Southeastern Conference title. The Crimson Tide was ranked number one in the nation for much of the season.

The All-Nicklaus Team is named after Jack Nicklaus who, long before he was a major success on the PGA Tour, was a Big 10 and 1961 NCAA champion at Ohio State University. He helped create the Jack Nicklaus Award in 1988, an honor given to the top golfer in Division I, II, II and the NAIA. This is the first year for the All-Nicklaus Team.

The team is highlighted by Nicklaus Award recipients Kevin Chappell of UCLA, Point Loma Nazarene’s Sam Cyr, Scott Harris Jr. of St. John Fisher and Sonoma State’s Jarin Todd.

It also includes Jonas Blixt of Florida State, Oklahoma Christian’s Bruno Buccolo, Jorge Campillo of Indiana, Oklahoma State’s Rickie Fowler, Rory Hie and Jamie Lovemark of Southern California, Washington & Lee’s Nathaniel James, Sihwan Kim of Stanford, Boise State’s Troy Merritt, Cory Renfrew of British Columbia, Joe Schoolmeesters of Saint John’s (Minn.), Wake Forest’s Webb Simpson, Joel Sjoholm of Georgia State, Brent Witcher of Valdosta State and Armstrong Atlantic State’s Chris Wolfe.

Thompson, a PING First-Team All-America in 2008, is in San Diego, Calif., where he is competing as an amateur at the United States Open. He won a berth into the U.S. Open last August by virtue of his runner-up finish at the 2007 United States Amateur.

He was a senior on the Alabama team in 2007-08 and graduated from The University in May with a degree in accounting. After competing for the U.S. Team at the Palmer Cup June 26-27 in Scotland, Thompson plans to turn professional.