A year ago, Rory McIlroy called Michael Thorbjornsen out by name as one of the young players coming through who could compete at the top level. On Sunday at the Rocket Classic, Thorbjornsen proved him right.

Thorbjornsen, 24, drained a 26-foot birdie putt on his final hole Sunday to shoot a 7-under 63 and reach 18 under par, winning his first PGA Tour title at Detroit Golf Club by two shots.

The win earned him a place in the FedExCup playoffs. The top 70 players after next week’s Wyndham Championship will qualify for the playoffs.

McIlroy had identified Thorbjornsen as a player to watch at the 2025 Scottish Open. While talking about the challenge of staying successful as younger players enter the game, the world No. 2 and six-time major champion mentioned Thorbjornsen by name.

“You see all these younger kids that are coming up, the likes of a Michael Thorbjornsen or Luke Clanton or these guys that basically are ready to play at the top level coming out of college,” McIlroy said, per AOL. “And you have to make sure you’re staying on top of what makes you such a great player.”

The wider point McIlroy was making was about longevity, and how each generation raises the bar for the one before it.

“Once you get there, yeah, it takes just as much work, if not more work, to stay there,” he said at the 2025 Scottish Open.

“Because I think about my career before I won this major this year, the last major I won in 2014, I had never heard of Scottie Scheffler. So these talents and these players just keep coming and keep getting better each and every generation.”

Thorbjornsen and McIlroy also have a connection beyond the course. The pair played together on TGL, the tech-driven indoor golf league that launched in 2025.

From College Golf Star to PGA Tour Champion: Michael Thorbjornsen Final-Round Story

The Rocket Classic win arrived at a notable moment. Fellow PGA Tour rookie Jackson Koivun had won the 3M Open the previous week, making back-to-back weeks of first-time winners from the same college golf generation.

Thorbjornsen started Sunday’s final round two shots behind 54-hole leader Davis Riley. Riley opened with three bogeys in his first six holes and never recovered. Thorbjornsen turned in 2 under and birdied four of his next five holes to pull clear.

He finished two shots ahead of two-time major champion Xander Schauffele, who shot a closing 65 but ran out of holes after a bogey at the 13th.

What do you think? Is Thorbjornsen the next big thing on the PGA Tour? Let us know in the comments!