The European Tour began a six-week UK swing, at the Close House Golf Club. The PGA Tour rolled up on Minnesota, while the Korn Ferry Tour sashayed into Missouri. With the LPGA and Champions tours on the cusp of their own restarts next week, professional golf has made a cautious return to competition. Youth made a statement at two of our three events this week, while a heartwarming win for the grinders happened on the big circuit. Have a glance at this week’s Tour Rundown, the last one for July of 2020.

3M Open goes from the young to the older as Thompson succeeds Wolff as titleholder

A long time ago, Michael Thompson played golf at Tulane University, transferred to Alabama when Hurricane Katrina forced the closure of Tulane’s program, reached the number-one ranking in amateur golf, and was low amateur when Tiger Woods last won the U.S. Open. Since then, he has lived the life of a journeyman professional golfer. His first win came in 2013, at the Honda Classic—although he nearly won the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic. On Sunday, Thompson held off a slew of late chargers to capture win number two, at the ripe young age of 35.

Thompson and Richy Werenski walked in lock step all week. Never separated by more than a stroke over the first 54 holes, they held the third-round lead at 15-under par. On Sunday, each struggled for part of the front nine. Thompson was able to rebound from his third-hole bogey with two birdies closer to the turn. Werenski had the opposite result. He bounced back from his bogey at the third with a birdie at seven, but gave the stroke back immediately with bogeys at eight and nine. Werenski would play the inward half in minus three, and finish in a tie for third with eight other golfers.

The 2019 edition of the 3M Open was abuzz with Matthew Wolff’s out-of-nowhere win for the young’uns. Thompson contrasted perfectly with the young Californian. He had been on tours for well over a decade, with a modicum of success. Like Wolff, Thompson’s run at the title came out of the blue, and like Wolff, he was able to hold on down the stretch, as golfers made a run at the top. Charles Howell, Emiliano Grillo, and Robby Shelton each posted a Sunday round of 65 or lower but were only able to climb as high as the aforementioned third-place clump. Adam Long gave the best chase. He closed with 64, the second-lowest round of day four, to move to 17 under par. Playing six groups behind Thompson, Long had no margin for error. He amassed eight birdies on the day, but his lone miscue came late, at the 17th.

Long played his tee shot at the par 3 to the front of the green, where a back hole location was his goal. His birdie attempt raced 12 feet past, and he was unable to convert the par effort. In truth, he had to believe at that moment that he needed to make every putt, to have a chance at the title. The runner-up finish was his second of 2020. Thompson played error-free golf from the fourth hole on. He added birdies at 10, 16 and 18, and finished on 19-under par, after a Sunday 67. The victory gained him an exemption into the PGA Championship, in what will be his first major start since 2013.

Paratore nearly perfect in British Masters triumph

Renato Paratore earned a second European Tour victory this weekend at the Close House Golf Club, near Newcastle. The 23-year old Italian golfer featured for 62 holes before making his first bogey at the English course. So as not to let it be lonely, he made another two holes later, at the 11th. That was it, as the Rome native completed a three-shot victory over Rasmus Højgaard by playing one-under golf over the closing seven holes.

Paratore began the week a shot behind David Law, turning in an opening 65 over the Scott Macpherson layout. His Friday 66 brought him to the top, and there he was to remain through the trophy ceremony. Over the undulating layout, Paratore exhibited no weaknesses as he reached a total of minus-18 after round four. Even the runner-up, Højgaard, lost ground on Sunday to the man from the seven hills. Paratore was best in show for greens in regulation and, once on the shortest grass, made no mistakes.

British Masters 2020 was a masterful performance from a golfer who follows a lineage laid down by Costantino Rocca, and continued by the Molinari brothers. Without doubt, Paratore will be cast as the next can’t-miss prospect. If he can avoid such buffoonery, his career should be long and bear greater fruit.

A winner from back in the pack at the Price Cutter as Wu wobbles

Brandon Wu stockpiled 17 birdies and one eagle over three rounds at the Price Cutter Charity Championship. On Sunday, the magic left the wand and the former Stanford golfer faded away, to a 9th-place tie. His departure left the title chase wide open, and the run to the top was a busy one. Playing alongside Wu, José de Jesús Rodríguez sought his first Korn Ferry tour win since 2018, and he nearly played well enough to earn it. After a bogey at the par-five opener, where he slashed around the deep rough for a bit, Rodríguez stalked six birdies on the day. He finished at minus-five on Sunday, good for a total of 20-under par but, alas, runner-up in the event.

Runner-up to whom? Max McGreevy, of course, and why not? McGreevy played his college golf at Oklahoma, and earned a third-place tie earlier this year at the KF Tour’s Panama Championship. On Sunday in Springfield, Missouri, McGreevy roasted the Highland Springs country club course for six birdies and one eagle. He started six groups behind the leaders, but found his groove early and never stepped off the accelerator. McGreevy never looked as if bogey was in the picture; he hit 12 of 14 driving fairways, and 17 of 18 greens in round four. His closing 64 was the third-low round of the day, topped only by a 62 and a 63. The win was McGreevy’s first-ever in a four-round tournament.