CROMWELL, Conn. — New England has another PGA Tour pro and his name is Michael Thorbjornsen.
After finishing atop the PGA Tour University rankings, as Ludvig Åberg did in 2023, Thorbjornsen earned his PGA Tour card for the remainder of the 2024 season and all of 2025. But since he hails from Wellesley, Massachusetts, a suburb west of Boston, the Travelers Championship decided to award Thorbjornsen with a sponsor’s exemption, given that this is the only tour event held in New England.
“This is definitely my home, I would say, on the PGA Tour,” Thorbjornsen said in front 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 ago, before this tournament evolved into a Signature Event, Thorbjornsen finished in solo fourth, four strokes behind winner Xander Schauffele. The former Stanford Cardinal shot all four rounds in the 60s as he sat toward the top of the leaderboard for most of the weekend. That strong performance came one week after the 2022 U.S. Open, where he missed the cut at The Country Club at Brookline—just miles from where he grew up.
He received another invite last year but unfortunately missed the cut. At least a fellow New Englander, Keegan Bradley, emerged victorious.
Thorbjornsen will make his professional debut this year, as he believes his prior experiences as an amateur 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 bigger opportunity and will be in the limelight more often, he has a chance to influence other young players from the New England area. He is honored to have that opportunity.
“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 said when asked if he had a message to younger players 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 staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.