Sponsored by
Webb Simpson
Webb Simpson, born James Frederick Webb Simpson, is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.
Born in August 1985 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Simpson played high school golf at Broughton High before his collegiate golf career at Wake Forest University on the Arnold Palmer Scholarship. Here Simpson was a three-time All-American and the ACC Player of the Year in 2008. He played on the victorious 2007 Walker Cup team and the 2007 Palmer Cup team.
Simpson turned professional in June 2008, playing on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour using sponsor’s exemptions. During this time he recorded two runner-up finishes on the Nationwide Tour before competing in the PGA Tour’s qualifying school where he finished T7 to earn his Tour card for 2009. The young golfer had a successful start to his rookie year with a 5th place finish at the Bob Hope Classic and a 9th place finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Simpson ended the season with four top 10 finishes and retained his tour card after being ranked 70th on the money list.
The Titleist player had a chance to win his first PGA Tour title at the 2011 Transitions Championship but a bogey on the final hole meant he lost by 1-stroke to Gary Woodland. Simpson would go on to win his first PGA Tour title at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, his home state, on August 21, 2011. The same season Simpson won his second tournament at the second FedEx Cup playoff event, the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Simpson opened the 2012 season by making 10 consecutive cuts. During this time he recorded four top 10 finishes and on June 17th claimed his first major title after winning the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
In 2012 Simpson made his first Ryder Cup appearance where he finished 2-2-0 overall. The following year Simpson earned his fourth PGA Tour victory after his success at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in October. The American would make his second Ryder Cup Team in 2014 as one of Tom Watson’s three captain’s picks, this time finishing 0-1-1.
Simpson would have to wait until 2018 for his next win on the PGA Tour. Claiming an impressive four-stroke victory at The Players Championship that May. Simpson’s performance at TPC Sawgrass was close to perfection and a huge turning point for the American who had really struggled after being forced to adjust his putting style when the anchored putter ban went into effect at the beginning of 2016.
Telling reporters after The Players, “You get used to playing at a level that you know you’re capable of, and then you go a year or two years playing below that capability, and it starts to get at you.” Adding, “I just kept telling myself that if I throw in the towel and give up, I will never be successful. But if I stay at it, who knows? And I’m glad I did.”
Career Wins:
2011 – Wyndham Championship
2011 – Deutsche Bank Championship
2012 – U.S. Open
2013 – Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
2018 - The Players Championship
