A Win Would Accomplish Some Goals For Webb Simson
Winning, winning majors and playing in team matches are goals of all pros, but only a select few ever get to say they have.
Webb Simpson is not one of them — yet.
Simpson, 26, a former All-American at Wake Forest University and U.S. Walker Cup member, is in his second full season on the PGA Tour and attempting to check off those goals as quickly as possible.
A win at this week's The Greenbrier Classic would certainly check off a win, but also put his name in the running to make captain Fred Couples' U.S. Presidents Cup team in October.
"It would be great," Simpson said. "I got to play with Steve Stricker at the British a couple of rounds. So I was picking his brain a lot about the President's Cup and Ryder Cup teams. And I've been definitely thinking about it a lot, definitely a goal of mine. Hopefully I can inch my way on the team."
Simpson is in his third full season on the PGA Tour, and if results are the barometer, his goals should be easily attainable. He finished second at the Transitions Championship in March and later lost to Bubba Watson in a playoff at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He has three other top-10 finishes and he finished tied for 14th and 16th, respectively, at the U.S. Open and Open Championship.
And with nearly $2.5 million earned he sits ninth in the FedEx Cup standings. In terms of the President's Cup standings, Simpson is presently 15th in points.
On Saturday, Simpson closed with a pair of birdies for a 1-under 69 that left him two shots back of leader Anthony Kim, who is at 10-under 200.
"It was huge," he said of the finish. "I just kept telling my caddie, 'We got to stay patient. Can't get ahead of our selves. If we just kind of hang around, we'll have a shot to win.'"
And a shot to check off some of those goals.
Stuart Hall is editor of the Golf Press Association.
