Thompson begins Masters prep today

Today marks the first day of practice rounds at The Masters Tournament and, for Crimson Tide senior Michael Thompson, the first chance to prove himself amongst the world's greatest golfers.

Thompson, the Tide's stroke average leader and a native of Tucson, Ariz., qualified himself for golf's greatest spectacle with a second-place finish at the 2007 U.S. Amateur Championship. The seven-day, four-round tournament is held annually at the Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Ga.

As one of only two collegiate players in this year's 93-man field, Thompson has earned a chance to be the envy of his peers.

"I'm thrilled," Thompson said. "It's an honor to be in this situation, to have an opportunity to play in The Masters, a tournament I grew up watching on TV, playing with the guys I see on TV week-in and week-out. I'm just going to go and have fun. It's going to be an awesome week."

Thompson said he plans to be fully donned in Tide gear for the duration of the tournament. His presence in the event will likely bring added recognition for the No. 1 Tide men's golf team.

"I think it's an exciting time for Alabama golf. I know it's a very exciting time for Michael Thompson personally," head coach Jay Seawell said. "Everybody who plays this game at a high level just wants to play in The Masters. It's the best tournament in the world. It's the most watched. It's the most talked about. It's the most prestigious. It's the one if you ask any golfer who ever played golf which one they could play, it's always that one."

Since qualifying last August, Thompson has made several trips to Augusta to familiarize himself with the course. But combining one of golf's toughest courses with the pressure of the national media and the best players in the world can create a different dynamic.

"I really don't know what to expect," Thompson said. "I know what's expected in terms of the golf course, but in terms of all the people there, the pros, being surrounded by them, it's going to be a nice feeling."

In seven practice rounds, Thompson's best effort netted him a 73. However, he said the course plays differently in the winter because, as the tournament draws near, course officials begin trimming back the greens.

"I'm looking forward to what tournament week is going to be like, because the course should be playing easier, but it is still going to be ridiculously hard," he said.

While preparing himself for the grandeur of the tournament, Thompson was able to seek some unique advice from teammate Mark Harrell, who competed as an amateur in last year's U.S. Open Championship. Harrell barely missed the cut and finish tied with Phil Mickelson.

"I just told him to enjoy it. He's earned it and it's going to be an unbelievable experience," Harrell said. "He just needs to savor every moment of it. I know he will play good, he's a great player."

Thompson's Tide teammates and coaches think Thompson won't be overwhelmed or overmatched by the field or the course. Seawell said Thompson's skill-set makes him well-suited for the Augusta course. He said he thinks it is likely that Thompson could make the cut and be the top-finishing amateur in the field.

"Augusta National is about the greens," Seawell said. "They've lengthened it and they've changed it. They've made it a little bit more of a ball striking golf course, but it's still about where you put it and how you make putts. That's the reason I think he has a great chance of doing well, because his best attribute, his greatest asset is what you need to be very good at Augusta, and that's putting."

The up and down putts of Augusta have caused trouble for golfers dating back as far as Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead. But, through his several visits to the course, Thompson said he thinks he is ready to attempt to tame the treacherous greens.

"I think I've gotten used to the greens," Thompson said. "The thing that's so different out there is that they are so undulated and we don't really see that a whole lot. There is not a straight putt out there. Every putt breaks, every putt is ridiculously fast. If you're not thinking when you're putting, it's very easy to hit it 10 feet by [the hole]. The course just demands a lot of attention from you, so that probably the hardest part."

Tuesday, Thompson will play a practice round with Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott. Wednesday he is scheduled for another practice round and a Par-3 contest. Then, Thursday begins the first round of competitive play.

Caddying for Thompson will be Tom Shaw, head coach of the Vanderbilt Commodores and Thompson's former coach at Tulane. Shaw recruited Thompson to Tulane, where he played for two seasons until the effects of Hurricane Katrina forced Tulane to end its golf program.

Seawell will join Thompson in Augusta after the Tide completes play at the Morris Williams Intercollegiate in Austin, Texas.

Thompson said his goals are set and they don't include trying to outdrive Tiger Woods.

"No three putts. Be completely committed to every single shot that I have and to make the cut. Those are the three main goals. Other than that, I don't really care how I finish. I know if I do those, then I will play well and I will finish well," Thompson said.