PGA Tour University grad joins Ludvig Åberg, ready for pro debut at hometown Travelers Championship

CROMWELL, Conn. — New England has one other PGA Tour pro and his identify is Michael Thorbjornsen.

After ending atop the PGA Tour University rankings, as Ludvig Åberg did in 2023, Thorbjornsen earned his PGA Tour card for the rest of the 2024 season and all of 2025. But since he hails from Wellesley, Massachusetts, a suburb west of Boston, the Travelers Championship determined to award Thorbjornsen with a sponsor’s exemption, on condition that that is the one tour occasion held in New England.

“This is definitely my home, I would say, on the PGA Tour,” Thorbjornsen stated in entrance of the press Wednesday.

“I obviously made my first PGA Tour start here two years ago as an amateur. Love this place. It’s close to home. Love the golf course. Travelers does an amazing job of hosting the players, the caddies, just incredible hospitality and, yeah, I couldn’t ask for a better start.”

Two years in the past, earlier than this event advanced right into a Signature Event, Thorbjornsen completed in solo fourth, 4 strokes behind winner Xander Schauffele. The former Stanford Cardinal shot all 4 rounds within the 60s as he sat towards the highest of the leaderboard for many of the weekend. That robust efficiency got here one week after the 2022 U.S. Open, the place he missed the minimize at The Country Club at Brookline—simply miles from the place he grew up.

He obtained one other invite final yr however sadly missed the minimize. At least a fellow New Englander, Keegan Bradley, emerged victorious.

Thorbjornsen will make his skilled debut this yr, as he believes his prior experiences as an beginner have helped him immensely.

“Growing up as a kid you always want to be playing at that top stage, playing on the PGA Tour,” Thorbjornsen added.

“It’s definitely a little overwhelming at times, but… the past couple of years, I’ve been exposed to more and more of this, so it’s not too much of a shock to the system. I guess I’m getting used to it. It’s okay, I really don’t mind it at all.”

But now that Thorbjornsen has a much bigger alternative and will likely be within the limelight extra typically, he has an opportunity to affect different younger gamers from the New England space. He is honored to have that chance.

“Just because you’re from the northeast and it snows for more than half of a year, that’s no excuse. Just keep working hard, guys,” Thorbjornsen stated when requested if he had a message to youthful gamers from New England.

“I just want to set a good example for these kids and inspire them to be the best golfers and best human beings they could possibly be because that’s what the guys ahead of me did for me as well. So, hopefully, one day in 10 years, we’ll have some of these kids out here playing and beating me and winning this tournament.”

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be positive to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.