.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Thornbery Answers The Call For The Rebels
3/9/2016 | Men's Golf
OXFORD, Miss. - The timing couldn't have been better for Braden Thornberry. After graduating another veteran class and dealing with an injury from sophomore Josh Seiple in the offseason, the Ole Miss men's golf team needed new blood that could handle the expectations and responsibilities that come with playing collegiate golf.
Thornberry was ready for the challenge. The Olive Branch, Mississippi native started playing golf when he was ten and quickly emerged as one of the top junior golfers in the country following his success as a junior golfer. He set five course records in his junior golf career, won the Mississippi State Junior Amateur Championship and was named a United States Junior Golf Tour Player of the Year. With the success came attention from major college golf programs
"My main three schools were Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Ole Miss," said Thornberry. "I was recruited also some by LSU, Arkansas and Tennessee. I committed when I was in the ninth grade, but it isn't that uncommon to commit that early, especially for some of the top junior golfers."
Thornberry has answered the call quickly for the Rebels. The No. 12 ranked player of the 2015 class and two-time Mississippi 6A state champion earned a line-up spot his first tournament and has competed in every tournament for Ole Miss since. Thornberry holds the team-low round of 18 with a score of 67 that he tallied in the second round of the Erin Hills Intercollegiate, host of the 2017 U.S. Open. He notched his first top-10 finish there, finishing in a tie for eighth overall. Thornberry also added a title to his belt this winter, hoisting the first-place trophy at the Patriot All-American, an invitational that hots to some of the top young college players in America.
Thornberry also had to make the adjustment of balancing school, social life and living away from home. His has not declared a major, but he is currently enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts.
"It is a big adjustment for me, because my parents have always been there every step of the way for me," said Thornberry. "From laundry, to food and all those little things that you don't think of when you are at home, those are things that I have been doing on my own now. My teammates have been really good. They might act like they give me some trouble, because I'm a freshman, but they've been really good to me. We're a tight group of guys."
His teammates have welcomed Thornberry in open arms and see him as a future great for Ole Miss. They have noticed his work ethic and contagious energy as qualities that make him a great teammate. Senior Forrest Gamble, the 2015 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, noted Thornberry's growth since he arrived on campus.
"Braden has made an immediate impact on the team with both his great play and positive energy," said Gamble. "He has a great work ethic and always is looking for ways to improve. I look forward to watching him continue to develop and be a leader on the team over the next few years."
The Rebels visit Tallahassee, Florida for the Seminole Intercollegiate March 11. Fans can follow live stats at OleMissSports.com or GolfStat.com. For all Ole Miss Men's golf news and information, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMGolf, on Instagram at OleMissMGolf and on Facebook at facebook.com/OleMissMGolf. Fans can also follow head coach Chris Malloy on Twitter @CoachMalloy12.
