By Lee Davis
When Michael Johnson picked up his diploma at Auburn University last month, a strong case could be made that he was one of the finest players the Tiger golf program had ever produced.
Johnson earned All-American and All-Southeastern Conference honors in his senior season. He was a semi-finalist for the prestigious Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus Awards and holds Auburn team records for the lowest individual stroke average and the most single season wins, and he has the second most career wins of any Tiger golfer. The 64 that Johnson recorded in a tournament in 2015 is the second lowest single-round score of any golfer in Auburn history.
Having just returned from the Palmer Cup championship in the United Kingdom, Johnson is becoming a professional. But as impressive as his golf resume is, the Spain Park graduate is playing for far more than just fame or fortune. He is fulfilling a family legacy.
Johnson’s older brother, Bradley, was an outstanding golfer at Spain Park who was killed in an automobile accident in March 2006. In the wake of Bradley’s death, the Johnson family founded the Bradley Johnson Memorial Tournament, a high school golf event that has raised thousands of dollars since its inception to provide financial aid to young golfers in need.
As he turns pro, Michael wants to continue to honor his late brother’s memory.
“I always think about how Bradley would handle a situation in golf or anything else,” he said. “But more than anything, I think about the high quality person that he was and what a great brother he was to me.”
Johnson’s game seems to be peaking as he begins the new challenge of earning his way onto the PGA Men’s Tour.
“My ball striking has improved,” he said. “I’m hitting a lot more fairways. Golf is a much more enjoyable game if you’re playing from the fairways. I try not to focus too much on any particular weaknesses I might have. I’d much rather concentrate on my overall game.”
Johnson has been granted a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Barbasol Championship beginning July 13 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National in Opelika. Johnson has played the course, located mere minutes from the Auburn campus, countless times.
“I really appreciate the opportunity to receive the exemption,” he said. “I can’t think of a better place to begin than at Grand National.”
After that, Johnson will be preparing for the rigorous “Q-School” (qualifying) events, including tournaments in Mobile, Dothan and West Palm Beach this fall.
While there is much work ahead, Johnson said reaching the pro tour would be the realization of a long-time ambition.
“It would be incredible to reach the tour and play with guys that I’ve known through the years who have also made it,” he said. “To have the chance to play at that level of competition is something every golfer coming out of college dreams about.”
Succeeding in golf has always been far more than a dream for Johnson. He first played the game as a child and quickly emerged as a star. Johnson led Spain Park to three consecutive state Class 6A titles and earned individual medalist honors in 2010. In keeping with family tradition, he attended Auburn on a golf scholarship and became one of the nation’s finest college golfers.
Now Johnson’s experience and bloodlines converge as he begins his professional career. And Michael Johnson is playing for far more than just himself.
