HILTON HEAD (South Carolina) • The yellow shirt Webb Simpson wore on Sunday at the RBC Heritage was not a casual fashion choice. He wears yellow on Sundays because it was his late father Sam's favourite colour.
And in an unusual quirk of scheduling due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the RBC Heritage, once cancelled and later postponed, concluded on Father's Day.
"This morning I thought about him, and when I was on the golf course, I thought about him," said Simpson. "He loved golf. He would have loved watching today."
If Sam had been watching, he would have seen his son take control of the tournament on the back nine, making birdies on five of his last seven holes for a bogey-free seven-under 64 to earn the seventh victory of his PGA Tour career by a single stroke from Mexican Abraham Ancer (65).
With the tournament record 22-under 262 win at the Harbour Town course on Hilton Head Island, Simpson climbed to the top of the FedExCup standings and to No. 5 in the world.
For Simpson, who lost his dad in 2017, the ascent is part and parcel of the hard work he has put in over the last three years, after finding himself on the outside looking in when everyone else was playing in the Tour Championship and making Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams like he used to do.
"I really have a desire to be in that top 10 or 15 guys in the world ranking all the time and have chances to win, not just twice a year, but as many times as I can," said the 34-year-old, who won the 2012 US Open on Father's Day, and the 2018 Players Championship on Mother's Day. "So that led me to just look at every part of my game, whether it's working out or the mental approach, and see if I can get better."
Sunday's final round was a roller coaster of emotions that featured as many as seven players tied for the lead.
Simpson had held at least a share of the second-and third-round leads. But he had to come from behind over the final nine holes, chasing Tyrrell Hatton (66), Ancer and Joaquin Neimann (65), among others to seal the win.
Daniel Berger (65), last week's winner at Colonial, and Englishman Hatton finished tied for third a shot further back.
HE'S LOOKING DOWN
This morning I thought about him, and when I was on the golf course, I thought about him. He loved golf. He would have loved watching today.
'' WEBB SIMPSON, on winning a second golf title on Father's Day.
"To finish with five birdies like that was really special, especially after going kind of yesterday and the first 10 holes, 11 holes today not making putts," he said after a storm delay of two hours and 47 minutes left players racing to finish before darkness.
"To see the putts go in when I needed them, that was really fun to see the ball going in the hole."
Simpson, who has five kids, now has a new celebration for Father's Day.
PGATOUR.COM, REUTERS
