Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/296325
As stated earlier, he is well on his way to this goal. Back to "Q" School. He got through first and sec- ond stages with ease. "I was fortunate to play well both times and they were stress free top 10 finishes." The same could not be said for final stage where an opening nine 43 derailed his third round and his chances of progressing. He played the front nine, his back nine, in 35 to salvage a 78, but the damage was done. "It (his poor nine) was just one of those freak things that might happen once a year and it hap- pened the one week when you really hope it doesn't. But, I knuckled down, and was able to get the job done." That he did, shooting rounds of 69-66-65 to close out "Q" School. This left him at 14-under-par and two clear of the 12-under total that was the final score to make it through with full status. "The final round I thought 4-under might make it, then 5-under looked a lot better, but the scores were very low and I then thought, as my round progressed, that it might take 6-under. There were scoreboards out there and I tried to keep up (with his position). "Things got a lot smoother when I made birdies on (Nos.) 16 and 17. That allowed me to relax going down 18." Thomas recalled hearing from a lot of his former teammates and Coach Jay Seawell with congratulatory mes- sages. "That's what I love, and will always love, about Alabama golf. We are a family; a really cool brotherhood." On this year's Web.com Tour his play has been very consistent. He came closest to winning on Sunday when he finished second in the El Bosque Mexico Championship, two back of winner Carlos Ortiz and four clear of third place. Thomas' rounds of 66-70-72-69-- 277 kept him rolling right along. And he was beaten by the hottest player on the tour as Ortiz has posted two wins in five events and is a lock for his PGA Tour card next year. Thomas, who will turn 21 in a couple of weeks, is a protege of Jor- dan Spieth. They grew up playing in a lot of the same top national junior and amateur tournaments and then JUSTIN THOMAS IS ENJOYING LIFE IN THE PROFESSIONAL RANKS Alabama's 13, Birmingham's NBC affiliate, has partnered with Thompson Tees Off's Ian Thompson, to bring area golfers "Tee Time." This golf segment will air EVERY THURSDAY within Alabama Tonight, between 6:30-7:00 p.m. Hope you enjoy Tee Time every week, featuring Don Hawes, the lead sportscaster on Alabama's 13, along with special guests. Thompson will be a weekly con- tributor to the show and will be on air with Hawes on a regular basis. Click here to view Tee Time battled for one year in college as Spieth turned pro after his freshman year at Texas after they won the NCAA's. Thomas stayed at UA another year and the Crim- son Tide won their first men's national title in golf at the con- clusion of that year. Of course, Spieth has made quite the splash on the PGA Tour, winning an event, coming close in many others, including an tremendous performance in The Masters, playing in the Presidents Cup and is almost a lock for the Ryder Cup. The way Thomas is playing on the Web.com Tour this year, look for him to make some noise on the PGA Tour in 2015 himself. Justin Thomas