Nerveless Simpson cruises to victory
American wins Players with stunning display Woods keeps comeback on track with late surge
It is fair to call Webb Simpson’s victory here “Tigeresque” and not simply because his Players Championship glory was utterly dominant. The American barely displayed a trace of nerves, despite Tiger Woods, making inroads into his lead. Impregnable and impervious.
In true Tiger-style, Simpson sucked the atmosphere out of the competition and the fight out of his rivals. Simpson could even afford the comfort of hitting his approach into the water on the 18th. By then his double-bogey was an irrelevance.
On 18-under, Simpson won by four and his pursuers could only doff their visors to a major champion without a title in five years who suddenly recalled the location of the winner’s enclosure.
As well as the $2 million (£1.48 million) winning cheque, there was also the prospect of a third Ryder Cup appearance for Simpson to celebrate. Alas, it was a difficult week for Europe, with only Tommy Fleetwood finishing in the top 10. The Englishman re-emphasised his quality with a tie for seventh on 11-under after a 68.
Despite fading over the latter holes to finish with a 69, Woods more than suggested that barring injury or personal capitulation, he will also be in Jim Furyk’s side.
Simpson’s achievement – with Charl Schwartzel, Jimmy Walker, Xander Schauffel and Jason Dufner in second on 14-under – should not be underestimated and neither should it be dismissed as a one-off. Do not forget that the 32-year-old won the US Open in 2012 and challenged Luke Donald for the US money list title in 2011.
As a confirmed and highly talented “belly” putter, Simpson’s career was derailed by the anchoring ban. Initially, he tried to master the short putter, but having utilised the longer version since his teenaged years he just could not succeed.
It was only after a conversation with South African Tim Clark, the winner here in 2010, that he re-employed the elongated stick and jammed it under his arm in the guise of Matt Kuchar.
The affect has been stunning. Simpson has followed up a raft of top 10s with the second biggest win of his career, which included a course-record tying 19-under.
Woods, Dufner and Danny Lee were the most valiant of pursuers and inevitably the spotlight fell on the first-named of that trio. He was infuriated to double-bogey the 17th to fall back into a tie for 11th in a group with England’s Ian Poulter, but there can be no doubting what he brought to the weekend show.
The 42-year-old made the cut “on the number” and was tied for 68th on Saturday morning. The thirdround 65 could have and should have been a 63, perhaps a 62, but at the very least it highlighted his well-being. And the crowds responded in vast numbers and with the Tiger roars of yesteryear.
After requiring only 11 putts on the front half during his 65 on Saturday, Woods needed only 10 this time. He one-putted the 11th and 12th as well and at the stage anything seemed possible. It was not to be. “For a while, it was really special out there,” Woods said. “It’s weird, not to really mis-hit a shot today and only shoot three under par is just weird, because I played much better than that.
“If I would have had the game I had this weekend at the beginning of the week, maybe I could have given Webb a run.”
Indeed, he could have and this was only his eighth comeback event after all those years of agony and while some of the hype has been over the top, nobody would have envisaged him being high on this leaderboard just a few months ago. Neither Woods nor Simpson should be written off anytime soon.
In all the excitement that was also a new world No 1 crowned. After 15 months, Dustin Johnson finally relinquished the throne to Justin Thomas, who shot a 66 to finish on 11-under.