Prior to the 2024 Travelers Championship, Michael Thorbjornsen discusses making his professional debut as a PGA TOUR member after finishing No. 1 in the PGA TOUR University Ranking, the changes made to the golf course at TPC River Highlands and how special it is to play in Cromwell, Connecticut, as a native New Englander.
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all right we’d like to welcome Michael thorbjornson to the interview room here at The Travelers Championship Michael you’re making your professional debut first as a PGA Tour member after finishing number one in the PGA Tour university ranking you’re a New Englander making your third start here at TBC River Highlands what does it mean to you to for this place to be where you’re making your first professional start it means a lot uh this is definitely my home I’d say on the PGA tour uh obviously made my first um PGA tour start here uh two years ago as an amiter love this place it’s close to home love the golf course The Travelers they do an amazing job of hosting the players the caddies um incredible hospitality and yeah I couldn’t ask for a better start and speaking of home do you have any friends or family making the trip to come support you this week yeah I got my dad out here who’s obviously my coach so I mean he kind of comes to all the tournaments but uh I think my mom’s coming out a couple friends from high school and that kind of live in the area so I’m sure I’ll them around here and there awesome and then you had a chance to go see the course um earlier this morning um any thoughts on some of the changes out there and how it’s going to play this week I actually like the changes a lot um I think first off it was what making the greens smaller on 11 I thought it was a little big before I I think I’ve heard that Rory had a lot of input on these changes um I think 12 as well kind of cutting off the Fairway adding some rough on that little down slope there kind of forc forces you to play the whole the me the way it was supposed to be uh played the way it was designed um I think the last one I can remember is uh nine moving that t box up further to the right I think again it forces you to play the whole the way it was supposed to be played um not a lot of guys are going to be taking driver um out there so yeah I’m I really enjoy the the changes that they made awesome with that we’ll open up to questions if you can just raise your hand we’ll get a microphone over to you start with Paul with PG tour.com over here Michael um just with this being you’ve obviously played this event but first event as a pro does it feel any differently walking the range playing the course this week than it has in previous years uh I’d have to say no um I think that’s uh one of the big things with getting um sponsors invites and being able to play PJ tour events as an AM um kind of makes it an easier job transition for when you do actually turn pro so it doesn’t really feel too different um yeah have you talk to any of recent College grads ludvig Adrien guys that maybe you’ve competed against that have come up through pj2 areu just about what to expect uh a little bit um saw leig yesterday uh we were talking a little bit just seeing how things were going on his end I’ll talk about the US hope in a little bit but um we we tax back and forth here and there too so I I know it’s not too hard of a transition just because I think I did three four weeks in a row uh at the beginning of last summer so I kind of get a general gist of what it’s like um out there um but obviously there’s a lot a lot of stuff to manage um but I’m going to do my best that I possibly can and I mean this is just a start so hopefully I keep getting better at managing everything we’ll go to Jack next right here on theend hey Michael uh this is your first professional tournament and I just want to know how you’re like you’re personally feeling like with all of like the media attenion and even like being in this room and all of this like what’s going through your mind as this process has started as a professional um definitely a little overwhelming at at times I guess with I mean there’s a lot of people in here uh but no it’s I mean growing up as a kid you always want to be um playing at that that top stage playing on the PGA tour you just don’t really see much of this um and again the past couple years I’ve been exposed to more and more of this so um it’s not too much of a shock to the system so I I guess I’m I’m getting used to it uh so it’s okay I I really don’t mind it at all time for a few more go to Jim mccave in the front row Michael can you tell us why um I forget back and you were at the IMG Academy why you went back to wsy high school and what did that do for you and how was it to play Public High School golf with your friends yeah it was uh I I spent what was it three years at IMG and kind of felt like if I did four years at IMG and then four years at Stanford i’ I wouldn’t say burn out but I you kind of need a a break in there at some point um IMG is basically like a junior college in a way so feel like coming back senior year kind of got blessed too um we’re quite lucky that um I wasn’t at IMG for when Co hit um my senior year so it was good to kind of re reignite some friendships uh back from middle school and the ones that I kept in touch with while I was um at high school down south playing on the golf team was a lot of fun um didn’t know golf could be that much fun at times even though if you don’t play too well but yeah again really enjoyed it being up north um and kind of just having somewhat of a Down year um work on my game a little bit here and there but also kind of relax and prepare for the next four years at College we’ll head back over to Paul on the left just with the success that ludvig had last year kind of set a high standard for how players could come in right from college and do this as you’re kind of starting you know with a lot of the Season already done uh how are you kind of approaching this year and into next year and what you want to accomplish and in your goals yeah I’m just trying to play the best golf I possibly can kind of check off all the boxes um those progress goals like process goals uh each and every week um just whether I can manage myself really well whether attitude manage my body the best I can see if I can manage the course as well um I’m not really too concerned on results especially this summer uh and the Summers to come I know I’m a good golfer I know when I play a good golf I can have some good results so we’re just focused on the process right now and I know eventually it’ll it’ll all pay off back here to Matt Michael I just wanted to ask you I remember talking to you a couple years back being here in contention I just just want to know in your eyes what are the biggest areas of growth what are the biggest changes you’ve gone through in the time since yeah I I remember talking uh kind of answering a similar question to that uh last year after my junior year felt like I did really well managing my body um obviously not so much because I fractured my spine a couple months later uh but I feel like being injured gave me kind of A New Perspective on kind of where I am in my life um when it comes to golf um and off the golf course as well uh definitely more appreciative of being at Stanford being surrounded by some of the smartest Minds in the world being able to play golf and eventually turn pro and that being my job uh so yeah I’m just I guess I’m more appreciative and I feel like I’ve matured a lot more um than I have even the past year so I’m sure again this is just a start so well it it should all get even better we’ll end right over here second row on the right over here um so kids that are coming this weekend you know high schoolers from New England they don’t have many examples of new england-based golfers you know professionals um you know Keegan and now you um and I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of kids here this weekend that are kind of of taking that in have you have you thought about that you know that you’re kind of somewhat of an example now for New England kids that are you know trying to be where you are now and if you have thought about that I guess what kind of what goes through your mind I I haven’t really thought about that too much I know I remember growing up well I guess to answer your point yeah obviously I KN I know Keegan’s from from Massachusetts and I would see him uh winning the Bridgestone winning the PGA Championship um close to a decade ago um but obviously like I think it was Tiger Rory those were my favorite players but come to think of it now um some kids growing up here in the Northeast and in Massachusetts them looking up to me that’s kind of a dream come true um just trying to set a good example for these kids and Inspire them to be the best golfers and best human beings they could possibly be um because I I mean that’s what the guys ahead of me uh did for for me as well so hopefully one day in 10 years we have some of these kids out here playing and and beating me and winning this tournament and would you have any message for him or any uh you know helpful advice maybe yeah just because you’re from the Northeast and it snows for more than half of the year uh it’s no excuse just keep working hard guys awesome thank you Michael for the time good luck this week thank you
3 Comments
kjempebra!
Thor is an absolute stick! See a top 10 in the world in this guys future.
Looking forward to watch this young man's career! He is one mature and exciting new player!