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Hugh Delane "Rocky" Thompson (October 14, 1939 – March 13, 2021) was an American professional golfer who played on the
PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also ...
and the Champions Tour. Thompson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He attended the
University of Houston The University of Houston (UH) is a public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the university in Texas with over 47,000 students. Its campus, which is primarily in s ...
, and graduated in 1962. He turned pro in 1964. He played on the PGA Tour for many years but never recorded a victory. His best finish was a solo second place at the 1969
Western Open The Western Open was a professional golf tournament in the United States, for most of its history an event on the PGA Tour. The tournament's founding in 1899 actually pre-dated the start of the Tour, which is generally dated from 1916, the ye ...
. Thompson's fortunes changed, however, once he reached the age of 50 and began competing on the Senior PGA Tour in 1990. His first win came at the 1991
MONY Syracuse Senior Classic The MONY Syracuse Senior Classic was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1982 to 1991. It was played in Syracuse, New York at the Bellevue Country Club (1982–1984) and in Jamesville, New York at the Lafayette Country Club (1985–1991). ...
. Thompson, who had played a combined 611 events on the PGA Tour and Senior PGA Tour, without a victory, famously said his impassioned celebratory speech: "But now if I never, ever win a PGA Tour event, right now, this minute, today, this week—" Thompson paused, his short soliloquy becoming louder with each enunciated syllable. He then hit his crescendo when he thrust his hips a little for effect, threw his fist in the air and yelled—screamed even— "I am the man!" Later that same year, he won at the
Digital Seniors Classic The Bank of America Championship was a golf tournament on the Champions Tour from 1981 to 2008. It was played annually in June at the Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, Massachusetts, United States. Bank of America was the main sponsor of the tourna ...
. In 1994, he won the GTE Suncoast Classic. He holds or shares several Champions Tour records. Thompson was mayor of Toco, Texas, in the 1990s. He died on March 13, 2021, at the age of 81.


Professional wins (4)


Regular wins (1)

* 1978
Greater Bangor Open The Greater Bangor Open was an American golf tournament. It was played annually from 1967 to 2016 at Bangor Municipal Golf Course in Bangor, Maine. History In 1971, future PGA Tour star Lanny Wadkins played the event. In the three-round tournam ...


Senior PGA Tour wins (3)


See also

* Spring 1978 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates * Fall 1981 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Rocky American male golfers Houston Cougars men's golfers PGA Tour golfers PGA Tour Champions golfers Golfers from Shreveport, Louisiana Golfers from Texas People from Lamar County, Texas Sportspeople from Plano, Texas 1939 births 2021 deaths