Former Jayhawk Chris Thompson chasing PGA Tour card at KC Golf Classic

The Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate couldn’t be a more perfect course for Chris Thompson. It even feels a little bit like home.

The 42-year-old came into the KC Golf Classic on a mission: continue taking steps toward punching his ticket to the PGA Tour. And if he keeps playing the way he has so far this week, he might just be on his way.

Thompson, a University of Kansas product, is currently tied for fourth with South Korea’s Jin Park at 11-under through two rounds of the 72-hole Web.com Tour event.

Austria’s Sepp Straka and 2015 Baylor grad Kyle Jones share the midpoint lead at 13-under entering Saturday’s penultimate round of the $675,000 tournament. Louisiana native Sam Burns and German national Max Rottluff sit 1 back at 12-under.

Thompson, a Lawrence resident and touring Web.com pro, couldn’t be happier with the way he played on Friday after carding a 7-under 64.

“The way I played today gave me a lot of confidence,” Thompson said. “If you would’ve asked me yesterday, I would’ve been a little, ‘Meh.’ But today gave me a lot of confidence to finish out and carry that momentum.”

The top 25 finishers in the the 2018 money standings earn PGA Tour cards for 2019, a dream that Thompson has been chasing for years. In all, 50 PGA cards will be handed to this year’s Web.com golfers, with the final 25 determined by qualifying golfers’ scores in “finals” at season’s end.

Thompson, currently ranked No. 43 in the money standings, said support from family, friends and sponsors keeps him going, chasing the dream.

“I couldn’t do this without their support, and it means a lot that they stick with me through all of this,” he said.

Thompson started golfing at a young age — about 4 or 5 is the earliest he can recall. He would follow around his father, and along the way he picked up skills of his own.

On Friday, Thompson described the Nicklaus course in Overland Park as being a lot like his home track in Lawrence.

“A lot of the battle out here is against yourself,” he said. “I think I’m playing well, and I have a lot of confidence. The hardest two days are right in front of me.”

It’s certainly not unheard of for a golfer in his 40s to earn a PGA Tour card, but it doesn’t happen every day.

Thompson returns to the course on Saturday aiming to move one step closer to being one of the chosen few.

“I think it would be a heck of an accomplishment,” he said. “If people can look at me and say, ‘If he can do it, then I can do it,’ then that’s great. … (This feeling) has more excitement than nervousness. When you’re playing with a lot on the line, it kind of motivates me.”

Thompson said his life revolves around sports even when he’s not on the course. He has two kids and coaches basketball in his spare time. Staying busy helps him stay fit.

As for his chosen profession, the former Jayhawks golfer says he couldn’t have asked for a better day-to-day job.

“This is what I do best,” he said. “I think there’s value of being able to do what you do best for a living.”

Tickets to the KC Golf Classic, hosted by the Kansas City Crusaders charitable golf organization, are $10; kids 14 and younger get in free when accompanying a paying adult.

Gates open at 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

This story was originally published August 3, 2018 at 6:07 PM.