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MR. GOLF
Ex-Tide star Justin Thomas on the rise
I
t’s hard to believe that Justin Thomas is still just 21 years old. It doesn’t seem long ago that he was starring for the University of Alabama’s men’s golf team as it captured the 2013 NCAA national championship. Indeed, his PGA Tour biography notes that accomplishment as his “greatest thrill in golf.” The Goshen, Ky., native left UA after his sophomore year to turn pro and he hasn’t looked back. After winning the national championship, he represented the USA in the Walker Cup, along with UA teammates Bobby Wyatt and Cory Whitsett, before joining the paid ranks. He m a de it through “Q” School to gain his 2 014 Web.com Tour card and it seemed like he was in contention most weeks. He broke through for IAN his fi rst pro win THOMPSON in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship and ended up fifth on the final money list with more than $276,000 won, which was plent y good enough to punch his ticket for the 2014-15 PGA Tour season. In just seven starts, he has already amassed three top-7 finishes and is on a real roll, with back-to-back strong performances in the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Humana Challenge, where he started the fi nal round in the fi nal group tied for the lead. He has already doubled his Web. com Tour winnings from last year, with $570,436 banked on the PGA Tour. He’s 28th in the FedEx Cup and has moved to 88th in the World Golf Rankings. Heady stuff indeed. He’s not intimidated to tee it up with the big boys and shot a second-round 61 in Hawaii to move into a tie for that lead. “I take a lot of positives (from his play in the Humana Challenge). I really, really played well enough (to win). I feel like I defi nitely hit it well enough to win. I missed a pretty good amount of putts (in the fi nal round).” He also talked about his comfort level while being in contention. “I learned a lot. I was really, really comfortable, which was a great feeling. “I was honestly a little bit surprised, I thought I would be a little bit more nervous, but I felt really good. I felt good about my game.” And strides he has made in recent weeks. “I feel, I guess maybe I don’t feel any better of a player, but I feel a lot more experienced and I feel a lot more confidence. I know that I can win out here. I know that I have the game to. It’s just a matter of putting it together and just doing the right things at the right times.” Thomas fi nished tied for 17th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which concluded Sunday, with an 8-under total, and he keeps right on going with this week’s Farmers Insurance Open at famed Torrey Pines in San Diego, Calif. Thomas, who is close friends with fellow young player and PGA Tour superstar Jordan Spieth, could well emulate his friend and break through for a PGA Tour win soon. Spieth made his allegiances clear when he tweeted right after the Humana: “Great playing again by @ JustinThomas34 inching closer to a win.” Indeed, he is.
Ian Thompson has been writing about golf in Alabama for over 21 years. His weekly “Mr. Golf” column concentrates on golfers, golf events and people associated with the sport of interest to the Tuscaloosa and Birmingham areas. Reach him with story ideas at ian@thompsonteesoff.com.
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THE BUTLER DID IT Former West Alabama player Malcolm Butler seals victory for Patriots with late interception
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler (21) intercepts a pass intended for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette with 20 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz. Butler, a former West Alabama player, intercepted the ball in the end zone to secure the Patriots’ 28-24 victory.
By Rob Maaddi The Associated Press
INSIDE KEY PLAYS:
GLENDALE, A RIZ . | Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, former West Alabama player Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson in the end zone and the New England Patriots rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Brady overcame two interceptions to lead the Patriots to their fourth Super Bowl championship, becoming the third quarterback along with Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw and San Francisco’s Joe Montana to win four titles. Brady, coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots needed three tries to win their fourth title since 2001. They lost to the New York Giants twice
Tom Brady ties Joe Montana with fourth Super Bowl victory and third MVP award | 3C
before dethroning the defending champion Seahawks. After Jermaine Kearse made a twisting, turning, tumbling catch for a 33-yard gain to the Patriots 5, Marshawn Lynch ran 4 yards to the 1. But Wilson, operating from the shotgun, was intercepted on a pass intended for Ricardo Lockette. Brady jumped up and down on the sideline and hugged Belichick to celebrate the win. A dejected Wilson walked off the field stunned.
As the Patriots (15-4) ran out the clock, players on both sides fought and Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin was ejected. Down 10 to start the fourth, Brady rallied the Patriots with a 5-yard TD pass Danny Amendola in the back of the end zone and a 3-yarder to Julian Edelman with 2:02 left in the fourth for the go-ahead score. With the Seahawks leading 24-14, the Patriots’ defense held as Rob Ninkovich sacked Russell Wilson to force a punt. After Brady was sacked on the fi rst play, he drove the offense 76 yards to get New England within a field goal. Brady’s scoring strike to Amendola gave him a Super Bowl record 11 TD passes. Brady also set a Super Bowl record with 37 completions. He fi nished with 328 yards passing. SEE PATRIOTS | 3C
WOMEN | ARKANSAS 53, ALABAMA 42
Shooting woes plague Tide again By David Stasiak Special to The Tuscaloosa News
PHOTO | ALABAMA ATHLETICS
Alabama’s Karyla Middlebrook (22) looks for an opening during Sunday’s game against Arkansas at Foster Auditorium. Middlebrook led Alabama with 14 points in a 53-42 loss.
The University of Alabama women’s basketball team’s early-game shooting struggles continued Sunday in a 53-42 home loss to the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks. The loss extends Alabama’s losing streak to three games and gives it the second-worst SEC record (1-8), ahead of only Auburn (09). In the Crimson Tide’s last two losses to Vanderbilt and No. 1 South Carolina, it has shot 30 percent or less from the field in the fi rst half and has been held under 55 points. Sunday’s game was no different. Alabama (12-12) couldn’t complete the main goal of basketball — put the ball through the basket — in a nine-minute stretch during its
dismal fi rst-half scoring drought. “At some point, you can’t make plays for them,” Alabama coach Kristy Curry said. “They’ve got to step up and make plays. It seemed like — as good-hearted as we were as a staff to try to get us off to a better start because we’ve been getting off to slow starts — that backfi red on us as well.” Arkansas went on a 9-0 run during that time and built a lead, but the Lady Razorbacks had shooting struggles of their own, hitting just 8 of 26 shot before halftime, which kept Alabama within striking distance. The Crimson Tide fi nished the half 7 of 23 shooting from the field with 13 turnovers, and trailed, 24-16. When Alabama’s scoring leader, Ashley Williams, made a fast-break layup with 10 seconds SEE WOES | 3C