The University of Mississippi Athletics
Braden Thornberry's Letter to Rebel Nation
12/14/2018 | Men's Golf
National Champion, Winningest Golfer in School History Decides to Turn Pro
Dear Rebel Nation,
What a ride it has been! These past three and a half years have created memories that I will remember for the rest of my life. From the people, to the entire college experience, Ole Miss has helped prepare me for my future. And with that, I have now decided…
It's time. It's time for my dream to become reality. It's time for me to pursue my dream of becoming one of the best professional golfers in the world!
Why now? There's a lot that goes into it.
Some people have wondered why I didn't turn pro after winning the national championship my sophomore year. Then, they assumed I would make the jump after my junior season. There have been a few times I've considered turning pro, but this is the first time where I have felt mentally ready.
As a kid from Olive Branch, Mississippi, my friends and I would spend all day at the golf course. My mom would drop me off at 8:30 a.m. on her way to work and then pick me up at 5 p.m. We would chip around for a little bit, go out and play nine, come into the clubhouse to get something to eat, and then head back outside. It was our spot to hang out. We didn't even think about it actually being practice because it was fun for us.
Before all of this, my first big decision was picking a college, Ole Miss was always the favorite. My aunt and uncle went here, and I remember going to Ole Miss football games as a kid. We would walk through The Grove before the game, and the atmosphere was amazing. One thing you don't realize about The Grove, until you go to school here, is that it's not just a bunch of tents set out for the entire year. When it's not a football weekend, The Grove is still a place you can walk through on your way to class. And it still has a really cool vibe. Anyway, I kept an open mind in giving schools a chance to recruit me, but my heart was always set on becoming an Ole Miss Rebel.
I heard some players mention that in order to play on the PGA Tour I had to go out of state and join a more storied program. However, I know that I made the right decision. With great facilities, coaches, and support staff, the golf program at Ole Miss really prepared me for my future as a professional golfer. I truly feel like Coach Malloy and Coach Ellis are two of the best college golf coaches in the country. Without them, I wouldn't be the person on and off the course that I am today.
My freshman year, the college adjustment was difficult for me. I wasn't used to being off on my own, having to do my own laundry (thanks Mom!) and things like that. I didn't play well either. One day, Coach Malloy came to Beau (Briggs) and I, sensing our nerves were affecting our games. We felt like we were walking on eggshells, but he made us comfortable and gave us confidence. I went out and won two tournaments in the spring, and Coach Malloy was a big factor in that.
Coach Malloy's mindset and mental approach to golf helped me go from a good high school player to one of the best college golfers in the country. He's coached guys like Brooks Koepka, one of the best players on tour right now. Coach has a philosophy that if you can embrace tough conditions and toughen up mentally, you already have half the field beat before you even tee off. Having things in order, keeping your clubs and locker cleaned, those are little things off that course that I can use in everyday life. Our team motto is "the little things bring big ole rings," and I will take that with me into my professional career. I've heard a lot of people talk about my swing, and most coaches would want to change it, but Coach Malloy trusted me. With all of that, what more could you ask for in a coach?
I can't forget about Coach Ellis. Whether it was about golf, classes or anything else, he's a guy that I could always talk to and get advice. With his experience playing both in college and professionally, he was always someone that I could bounce ideas off of. His office was always open, and he made himself readily available for me and the rest of the guys. His calm demeanor combined with his knowledge of the game makes for a great coach to have with you out on the course.
My sophomore year came out of nowhere. I got super hot in the fall and then carried that over into the spring. Even after winning the national title and nearly winning my PGA Tour debut in Memphis, I didn't feel ready to turn pro. I had more to prove, and that was what my junior season was all about. Anyone can get hot and play good golf for a stretch, but I needed to prove to myself that my sophomore season wasn't a fluke. As a junior, I was able to maintain that level of play, confirming that I can compete at a high level.
There's nothing quite like the college golf experience. Coming back this fall for my senior season, prepared me for going through the stages of Web.com Tour qualifying. We get to play some of the best courses in the country and compete as a team. My teammates have become some of my closest friends. The older guys were mentors to me when I was an underclassman, and over the past year I was able to help the younger guys on our team now.
All of this should help answer the question as to why I've now decided to turn pro. This decision has been years in the making, ready to be made when the time is right. That time is now. My journey has led me to this point. Mentally, I am ready.
In my heart, I know I'm ready. Part of that is thanks to all of you. I'm active on Twitter, read all of my mentions and try to reply to everything that I can. In a place that can be very negative, everyone has been very supportive, wishing me the best regardless of if I decided to leave early or not. That's another thing that makes Ole Miss so special.
This definitely isn't a goodbye. I plan on living here as I begin my professional career, so it's exciting to still have Oxford as a place to call home. You can only go to school at Ole Miss for so long, but you can be a part of Ole Miss forever.
For now, thank you and Hotty Toddy!
Braden Thornberry
What a ride it has been! These past three and a half years have created memories that I will remember for the rest of my life. From the people, to the entire college experience, Ole Miss has helped prepare me for my future. And with that, I have now decided…
It's time. It's time for my dream to become reality. It's time for me to pursue my dream of becoming one of the best professional golfers in the world!
Why now? There's a lot that goes into it.
Some people have wondered why I didn't turn pro after winning the national championship my sophomore year. Then, they assumed I would make the jump after my junior season. There have been a few times I've considered turning pro, but this is the first time where I have felt mentally ready.
As a kid from Olive Branch, Mississippi, my friends and I would spend all day at the golf course. My mom would drop me off at 8:30 a.m. on her way to work and then pick me up at 5 p.m. We would chip around for a little bit, go out and play nine, come into the clubhouse to get something to eat, and then head back outside. It was our spot to hang out. We didn't even think about it actually being practice because it was fun for us.
Before all of this, my first big decision was picking a college, Ole Miss was always the favorite. My aunt and uncle went here, and I remember going to Ole Miss football games as a kid. We would walk through The Grove before the game, and the atmosphere was amazing. One thing you don't realize about The Grove, until you go to school here, is that it's not just a bunch of tents set out for the entire year. When it's not a football weekend, The Grove is still a place you can walk through on your way to class. And it still has a really cool vibe. Anyway, I kept an open mind in giving schools a chance to recruit me, but my heart was always set on becoming an Ole Miss Rebel.
I heard some players mention that in order to play on the PGA Tour I had to go out of state and join a more storied program. However, I know that I made the right decision. With great facilities, coaches, and support staff, the golf program at Ole Miss really prepared me for my future as a professional golfer. I truly feel like Coach Malloy and Coach Ellis are two of the best college golf coaches in the country. Without them, I wouldn't be the person on and off the course that I am today.
My freshman year, the college adjustment was difficult for me. I wasn't used to being off on my own, having to do my own laundry (thanks Mom!) and things like that. I didn't play well either. One day, Coach Malloy came to Beau (Briggs) and I, sensing our nerves were affecting our games. We felt like we were walking on eggshells, but he made us comfortable and gave us confidence. I went out and won two tournaments in the spring, and Coach Malloy was a big factor in that.
Coach Malloy's mindset and mental approach to golf helped me go from a good high school player to one of the best college golfers in the country. He's coached guys like Brooks Koepka, one of the best players on tour right now. Coach has a philosophy that if you can embrace tough conditions and toughen up mentally, you already have half the field beat before you even tee off. Having things in order, keeping your clubs and locker cleaned, those are little things off that course that I can use in everyday life. Our team motto is "the little things bring big ole rings," and I will take that with me into my professional career. I've heard a lot of people talk about my swing, and most coaches would want to change it, but Coach Malloy trusted me. With all of that, what more could you ask for in a coach?
I can't forget about Coach Ellis. Whether it was about golf, classes or anything else, he's a guy that I could always talk to and get advice. With his experience playing both in college and professionally, he was always someone that I could bounce ideas off of. His office was always open, and he made himself readily available for me and the rest of the guys. His calm demeanor combined with his knowledge of the game makes for a great coach to have with you out on the course.
My sophomore year came out of nowhere. I got super hot in the fall and then carried that over into the spring. Even after winning the national title and nearly winning my PGA Tour debut in Memphis, I didn't feel ready to turn pro. I had more to prove, and that was what my junior season was all about. Anyone can get hot and play good golf for a stretch, but I needed to prove to myself that my sophomore season wasn't a fluke. As a junior, I was able to maintain that level of play, confirming that I can compete at a high level.
There's nothing quite like the college golf experience. Coming back this fall for my senior season, prepared me for going through the stages of Web.com Tour qualifying. We get to play some of the best courses in the country and compete as a team. My teammates have become some of my closest friends. The older guys were mentors to me when I was an underclassman, and over the past year I was able to help the younger guys on our team now.
All of this should help answer the question as to why I've now decided to turn pro. This decision has been years in the making, ready to be made when the time is right. That time is now. My journey has led me to this point. Mentally, I am ready.
In my heart, I know I'm ready. Part of that is thanks to all of you. I'm active on Twitter, read all of my mentions and try to reply to everything that I can. In a place that can be very negative, everyone has been very supportive, wishing me the best regardless of if I decided to leave early or not. That's another thing that makes Ole Miss so special.
This definitely isn't a goodbye. I plan on living here as I begin my professional career, so it's exciting to still have Oxford as a place to call home. You can only go to school at Ole Miss for so long, but you can be a part of Ole Miss forever.
For now, thank you and Hotty Toddy!
Braden Thornberry
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