April 22, 2008

TUSCALOOSA - For the second time since March, a University of Alabama golfer has been named Golfweek's Collegiate Player of the Week.

Michael Thompson, a senior from Tucson, Ariz., got the nod on Tuesday and it is displayed on the magazine's website, www.golfweek.com. In its announcement of Thompson as having the nation's biggest week on the greens, Golfweek writes: "Just one week after playing at the Masters, the senior posted a final round 7-under 65 to win the SEC Championship and also lead the Crimson Tide to the team victory. Thompson shot 8-under 208 for a four-shot victory."

Thompson led Alabama to its first Southeastern Conference team championship since 1979 and became its first medalist winner since 1952 when Alabama swept the SEC Championships on Sunday at St. Simons Island, Ga. It was Thompson's first collegiate individual victory at Alabama and his fifth career collegiate victory as he'd won four tournaments as a golfer at Tulane in 2004 and 2005. He transferred to Alabama for his junior season after Tulane dropped golf in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Crimson Tide junior Matthew Swan was named Golfweek's Player of the Week on March 3 after leading Alabama to the team championship while claiming the individual championship at the Puerto Rico Classic.