Top 30 Players to Watch in 2019: No. 10 Webb Simpson

OVERVIEW Webb Simpson returned to the winner’s circle in emphatic fashion this year with a dominant performance at THE PLAYERS Championship. He won by four shots despite a double-bogey on the final hole, after the final outcome had already been decided. He led by five at the tournament’s halfway point and took a record seven-shot advantage into the final round. Simpson tied the Stadium Course’s 18-hole (63) and 54-hole (197) records and shot a record-setting 129 (66-63) over the opening 36 holes. It was his first win in 4-1/2 years. “It means everything to me. I feel like it’s my first win,â€� Simpson, 33, said. He won the 2012 U.S. Open and finished second in the 2011 FedExCup before his beloved belly putter was banned by the U.S. Golf Association. After four straight trips to East Lake, he failed to qualify for the TOUR Championship in 2015 and 2016. Winning at TPC Sawgrass was fitting because it was where, a year earlier, former PLAYERS champion Tim Clark introduced Simpson to the arm-lock method that cured Simpson’s putting woes. He ranked sixth in Strokes Gained: Putting last season en route to his best FedExCup finish since 2013. Simpson’s nine top-10s were fifth-most on TOUR in 2018. He closed the season with a flourish, finishing second at the Wyndham Championship before back-to-back top-10s at the BMW Championship (T6) and TOUR Championship (T4). Simpson’s title reign may be truncated after THE PLAYERS’ move to March, but considering the way he dominated TPC Sawgrass, it’s likely he can’t wait to return. — By Sean Martin Click here to see who else made the Top 30 list. BY THE NUMBERS FEDEXCUP UPDATE Current 2018-19 position: 24th Playoff appearances: 10 TOUR Championship appearances: 6 Best FedExCup finish: 2nd in the 2011 season SHOTLINK FUN FACT Webb Simpson ranked fourth on the PGA TOUR in putting from inside 10 feet, making 90.1 percent of all putts within that distance. INSIDER INSIGHTS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Webb Simpson in 2019. TOUR INSIDER: Six of Simpson’s nine top-10s last season came on par-70 courses. Those courses have fewer par 5s for the long hitters to feast on and many of them are classic courses like the ones he played as a kid in North Carolina. Simpson, who ranked outside the top 90 in both driving distance and driving accuracy last season, thrives on layouts where distance isn’t a prerequisite for success. Shorter courses allow him to display his strong wedge game, as well. Last season, Simpson was third on TOUR in proximity from 50-125 yards and second from 75-100. — By Sean Martin FANTASY INSIDER: Typically, when any high-level touring professional focuses so heavily on improving a specific area of his game, such as he did with his putting, other areas pay the price. However, when those other areas are already at a world-class caliber, the cost can be negligible. Always known as a preeminent ball-striker, he not only enjoyed the best season of his career on the greens in 2017-18, but the 33-year-old also recorded a seven-year high in greens in regulation. You don’t need to enroll in Strokes Gained 101 to understand the confidence that that combination yields upon arrival at every tournament. We didn’t know that this is what he’d look like entering his prime, but his current level of excellence is exactly what we expected when he crashed onto the PGA TOUR in 2009. — By Rob Bolton EQUIPMENT INSIDER: Until last year, Simpson was playing a set of Titleist 680 MB irons that he used since before the 2012 U.S. Open. That changed when Simpson finally switched into new Titleist irons — the 718 MBs — citing the blade length and similar look of the 680 irons. On the greens, Simpson goes with the not-so-classic Armlock-claw putting grip. To do so, he uses an Odyssey Tank Cruiser V-Line putter with an Odyssey Arm Lock grip. The rest of the Titleist-staffer’s bag is Titleist, aside from a TaylorMade M4 fairway. — By Andrew Tursky STYLE INSIDER: Since arriving on TOUR, Simpson has relied on classic looks and fits. He is one of the few players still sporting traditional kicks, which sync well with his apparel. Expect more of the same from the reigning PLAYERS champ in the new year. Keep an eye on how Simpson accessorizes his outfits. He typically matches his belts to his pants or shirts for a smooth transition from top to bottom. — By Greg Monteforte

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