Patrick Rodgers, Michael Thorbjornsen eye breakthrough at RSM; a former Card stared much longer

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – When Michael Thorbjornsen first arrived at Stanford, Patrick Rodgers was just a legendary name on the walls to chase.

Rodgers is widely regarded as one of the five or so best amateur players of the past twenty years. He won 11 times in three years with the Cardinal, matching the marks of Tiger Woods and Maverick McNealy, while capturing every major prize in 2014 and rising to No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Thorbjornsen, now 24 and nine years younger than Rodgers, did well and followed in Rodgers’ footsteps. He was also world number 1, although he only won three times in college. Rodgers played in two Walker Cups; Thorbjornsen was denied his Walker Cup start due to a serious back injury that sidelined him for the second half of 2023. However, Rodgers cannot claim a US Junior (Thorbjornsen was the 2018 champion) or a Western Amateur, which Thorbjornsen won in 2021.

A few years into school, Thorbjornsen finally came into contact with Rodgers, who has since taken the talented youngster under his wing. Through phone calls, lunches and practice rounds, Rodgers has been a valuable resource.

“It’s nice to have someone who’s been through the same thing as me, just a little bit older,” said Thorbjornsen, who teamed up with Rodgers for the first time on Saturday at Sea Island, where the two Stanford products posted matching 68s to climb to 17 under, where they are T-2, two shots behind leader Sami Valimaki.

There’s one indication from Rodgers that Thorbjornsen, in his second year as a pro, would rather not emulate: Prior to this week’s RSM Classic, Rodgers has recorded 311 career PGA Tour starts without a win, most of them among active players with 50 starts.

Rodgers, a 33-year-old husband and father of two, doesn’t need to be reminded of that. In fact, one of his two playoff losses came here at the RSM in 2018, when he fell on the second extra hole to Charles Howell III.

“At the time I felt like it had been a very long time since I had been on the Tour and a very long time since I had not won,” Rodgers recalled of his 117th career start.

“I felt very ready for my opportunity there. Unfortunately, in this game you can’t control the outcomes. I’m really trying my best to control the outcomes, but it’s not working. Yes, I have to be the best version of myself that I can be, try to build a really quality golf game and trust that that’s going to give me the best chance throughout the season.”

Rodgers has been remarkably solid. He has never lost his PGA Tour card since earning a special temporary membership right out of college in 2014 and then securing his card for the first time the following year through the Korn Ferry Tour. He has never been the best iron player on Tour, but his number 117 in strokes gained this season is his best ranking in years. At number 63 in the FedExCup, he doesn’t do that need to win this week to advance to the Next 10 area and secure spots in the first two signature events of next season. And while lifting the trophy on Sunday at Sea Island, where McNealy broke through last year, would clearly lift a huge monkey off his back, Rodgers insists he won’t. need win period. He’d like that, sure, but he’s long past that kind of urgency.

“Everyone is on their own journey,” Rodgers said. “For me, a lot of my understanding at this point in my career has come through failure and through trial and error. I’ve learned a lot of lessons the hard way. But I’m really at peace with who I am as a player. I don’t feel like my life as a PGA Tour player depends on winning tomorrow, and I think that’s a powerful place to play from.”

Rodgers imparted that wisdom to Thorbjornsen during their four and a half hours together on Saturday. Thorbjornsen took notes.

“He played great today,” Thorbjornsen said. “I mean, whether he wins or I win, it doesn’t really matter; we have more tournaments to play next year.”