Webb Simpson is absolutely destroying The Players Championship

Jay Hart
·Senior editor

Webb Simpson is absolutely demolishing The Players Championship, aka The Fifth Major, thanks to an unbelievable, remarkable, stratospheric 9-under 63 Friday. Not only did he tie the course record, but he leads the most loaded field in all of golf by five shots.

Who is Webb Simpson?

Golf fans know, but for the uninitiated, Simpson, 32, is ranked 41st in the world, with moderate success on the PGA Tour. He’s best known for winning the 2012 U.S. Open, but has recorded only one tour victory since, and none since 2013.

Exactly how good was his round?

On a scale of 1-10, let’s call it an 11. He posted nine birdies and an eagle. While there certainly were birdies to be had at the TPC Sawgrass Friday, Simpson’s 63 was three shots better than anyone else. And that included a ball in the water on the iconic island green 17th.

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But it could have been better

Keep this in mind: Simpson shot a 63 with a double bogey.

He actually headed to the 17th 11-under par for his round. Not the tournament, his round. But his tee shot to the island green caught the wood on the front lip of the island, bouncing it hard and high into the air, where it landed on the back of the green and … dribbled into the water. Simpson recovered nicely, giving himself a solid shot at 4, but missed the putt. Double bogey. Not only was that the first blemish of the day on his scorecard, but ended a string of five straight birdies.

Why is The Players considered the fifth major?

Mostly because the field is so stacked. Of the top 50 ranked players in the world, only Paul Casey (12) is not in the field this week. “When everything is weighed up,” Jordan Spieth said, “it is the strongest field in golf.”

Obligatory Tiger Woods update

At 1-under for the tournament, he made the cut on the number, not that he’s in contention. The Tiger Woods comeback continues to tease but so far is showing little in the way of his old magic.

Webb Simpson hits from the 15th tee during the second round of The Players Championship. (AP)
Webb Simpson hits from the 15th tee during the second round of The Players Championship. (AP)

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