Record performance gives Simpson win at RBC Hergitage
Webb Simpson celebrated another victory on Father’s Day, this time with a tartan jacket instead of a U.S. Open trophy.
In a wild sprint to the finish after a three-hour storm delay, Simpson ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch on the back nine at Harbour Town in Hilton Head Island, S.C. and closed with a 7-under 64 for a one-shot victory over Abraham Ancer.
Simpson won the U.S. Open at Olympic Club in 2012. The U.S. Open has been scheduled to end on Father’s Day every year since 1976, but it was moved to September this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The RBC Heritage filled the spot on the schedule and Simpson, now a father of five, became a winner for the second time this year with a record score at Harbour Town.
He didn’t have much of a choice with so many low scores on a soft course with little wind. He finished at 22-under 262, breaking by two the tournament record set by Brian Gay in 2009.
It was a tough runnerup finish for Ancer, trying to become the fifth straight winner of the RBC Heritage to capture his first PGA
Tour victory at Harbour Town. He hit all 18 greens in regulation and tied for the lead with a bold fairway metal over the trees to the par-5 15th that set up a twoputt birdie. He also stayed in the game with a birdie on the 17th.
Ancer shot 65. There was just no catching Simpson, whose only birdies were on the par 5s on the front nine until he couldn’t miss. He rolled in birdie putts from 10 feet and 20 feet on the 12th and 13th, two-putted for birdie on the 15th and then sealed it with two more birdies from 15 feet and 18 feet.
Colonial winner Daniel Berger also stayed in the mix by chipping in for birdie on the 17th and closing with a
65. Tyrrell Hatton was leading until a poor tee shot led to bogey on the 13th. He shot 66 and tied for third.
Dylan Frittelli had the low score of a tournament filled with them, a 62 that put him in the lead before the final groups even teed off. Justin Thomas had a 63 and tied him.
• Two-time major champion So Yeon Ryu closed with an even-par 72 to win the Korea Women’s Open in Incheon, South Korea in her first tournament in four months because of the CO
VID-19 pandemic.
Ryu won for the first time since the Japan Women’s Open in 2018, and it was her first victory on the Korea LPGA since 2015.
Upon winning, Ryu offered her entire prize money of just over $200,000 for coronavirus relief funds.
Ryu and Hyo Joo Kim, another regular on the LPGA Tour, matched pars on the entire back nine of Bears Best Cheongna Golf
Club. Kim shot 70 to finish one shot behind.
Motorsports
NASCAR’S TALLADEGA RACE POSTPONED >> Thunderstorms forced NASCAR to postpone the Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway that was to mark the return of more fans to the track.
The race, which was pushed back to noon today, is the first amid the coronavirus pandemic in which NASCAR opened the gates for up to 5,000 fans. Those in the grandstands were urged to seek shelter roughly 30 minutes before the scheduled start, leading to a two-plus hour wait.
The addition of fans and the ban of Confederate flags were among the changes set to be on display in the race.
Tennis
DIMITROV TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS >> Grigor Dimitrov has tested positive for COVID-19, leading to the cancellation of an exhibition event in Croatia where top-ranked Novak Djokovic was due to play in the final.
Goran Ivanisevic, one of Djokovic’s coaches, said the Dimitrov news was “shocking” and that “now everyone will have to be tested.”
Dimitrov, ranked No. 19 and a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist, is the highestprofile current player to say he has the virus. His announcement Sunday on his Instagram page comes at the end of a week when the U.S. Open said it would go forward.
The professional tennis tours have been suspended since March and are planning to resume in August.
Dimitrov said he was making his condition public because he wanted to “make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during these past days gets tested. I am so sorry for any harm I might have caused.”
The Bulgarian was featured last week in the Serbia leg of the Adria Tour exhibition event organized by Djokovic. There was criticism that there was no social distancing at the exhibition, which took place before packed stands in Belgrade, the Serbian capital. The Serbian government lifted most virus restrictions last month despite dozens of new cases.
Dimitrov also played a match against Borna Coric in Croatia, at the Adriatic resort of Zadar, on Saturday in the second leg of the exhibition series. After the match, he complained about fatigue. He said in his post that he was tested in Monaco.
Organizers said Sunday the exhibition has now been canceled. Djokovic had been scheduled to play Russia’s Andrey Rublev in the final.
College basketball
ST. JOHN’S TOP SCORER TRANSFERRING TO OREGON >> St. John’s forward LJ Figueroa is transferring to Oregon, he announced on social media.
“Unfortunately, circumstances which are out of my control forced me to transfer and look for a new opportunity,” he tweeted.
Figueroa led the Red Storm in scoring with 14.5 points and added 4.5 rebounds in 32 games in the 2019-20 season.
The 6-foot-6 Figueroa has one season of eligibility remaining and will need to apply for an NCAA waiver to play immediately. Multiple reports said his waiver will cite the impact of the coronavirus on New York City as his reason for transfer.
• Macedonian Andrej Jakimovski, one of the most sought-after 2020 international prospects, signed his national letter of intent to play at Washington State.
The 6-foot-7 Jakimovski primarily is a shooting guard but plays multiple positions.