Thompson a finalist for Ben Hogan Award

TUSCALOOSA | Alabama senior golfer Michael Thompson is one of three finalists announced Wednesday for the Ben Hogan Award.

Other finalists are Oklahoma State’s Rickie Fowler and Southern California’s Jamie Lovemark.

The Hogan Award is presented annually to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or junior college golfer. The winner will be named at a banquet on May 18 at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Alabama has produced one Hogan Award winner. Marten Olander won it in 1993, his senior season with the Crimson Tide.

Thompson advanced to the U.S. Amateur final last August, won the SEC championship and earned SEC Golfer of the Year. He also played in the Masters as an amateur. He tied for fourth at the 2007 NCAA Championships. He has been selected to the U.S. Palmer Cup team that will compete against Europe next month.

Thompson, a transfer from Tulane, holds the distinction of having been named all-conference in two different conferences — the SEC and the Sun Belt.

Also Wednesday, the Southern Golf Association named Thompson its National Amateur of the Month for April.

He edged out ACC champion Webb Simpson in the voting.