Lee slips to 7th, Simpson holds on
AUCKLAND: New Zealander Danny Lee tied for seventh at the Players Championship tournament in Florida yesterday.
Lee started the day in second place, but his even par final round could not match those around him.
Overnight leader Webb Simpson, from the United States, won by four shots.
Beginning the final round with the tournament’s largest ever 54hole lead of seven shots, Simpson held on tight during a 1overpar 73 and his 18under total earned the American a fourstroke win.
Simpson was not expected to blow a lead bigger than anyone had ever blown in the final round of a PGA Tour event but he said it was not as easy as it looked.
‘‘Over four years without a win, I never doubted myself, but at the same time that’s a long time,’’ he said.
‘‘(Today) was harder than I thought. You don’t feel relaxed until that ball finds land on 17. So once that happened, intern ally I was celebrating.’’
In second place at 14 under were Charl Schwartzel, Jimmy Walker and Xander Schauffele (all 67), with Australia’s Jason Day one shot further back to share fifth place with Jason Dufner.
Lee picks up $511,000 from the tournament, which is known as the unofficial fifth major.
Up until yesterday, Lee had just one top 10 finish on the PGA Tour this year and had won $497,000 in prize money
Tiger Woods, for the second straight day, plundered the first 12 holes but finished poorly, showing his comeback from a spinal fusion is still a work in progress after eight events this year.
He picked up six birdies but dunked his tee shot into the water at the islandgreen par3 17th for a doublebogey.
Woods carded 69 to tie for 11th on 11under.
Meanwhile, Justin Thomas became golf’s new world number one, ending fellow American Dustin Johnson’s 15month reign.
Thomas tied for 11th at the Players Championship.
Thomas won his first major at the PGA Championship last August.
The 25yearold has won eight times on the PGA Tour. — RNZ/ Reuters