Golf

Webb Simpson wins Players Championship months after father passes away

By Jason Romano May 14, 2018
(Photo Courtesy: PGA Tour/Twitter @PGATour)

On Mother’s Day, Webb Simpson won the 2018 PGA Tour Players Championship.

Simpson dominated the tournament throughout the weekend, which saw him tie the course record with a 63 in the second round as he took over and never looked back. Through three rounds, he was at 19-under and poised to achieve his biggest tour victory since winning the U.S. Open in 2012.

Staked to a 7-shot lead on Sunday, Webb closed the day with a 1-over 73 for a 4-shot victory. Not one golfer got closer than four shots, as Simpson finished an impressive performance.

Late last year, Simpson’s father passed away at the age of 74 after battling Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.

“It’s been a tough few months for my mom, my brothers and sisters,” Simpson said as his voice began to crack. “This is a little beacon of light for my mom to get this done on Mother’s Day.”

In a press conference following his victory on Sunday, Simpson said that winning this tournament on Mother’s Day was special.

“To be on Mother’s Day, and I know how much she prays for me and pulls for me and watches every putt, I thought about her a lot today,” he said. “I knew she was watching every shot. It was for her for sure.”

Simpson said that after his father’s death, he thought it would be very difficult for him to get back on the course and return to the sport he loves, but it was actually quite the opposite.

“I thought before he passed that maybe the golf course would be the hardest place to be,” he said. “But I think it’s my favorite place to be. That was where we had most of our memories was on the golf course.”

In a 2012 interview with Sports Spectrum, Simpson talked about his faith and how it has helped him as he stepped on the golf course.

“As we look at Biblical manhood, all the great men of the Bible had similar characteristics,” Simpson said. “Leadership, lovers of God, lovers of His Word. When you ponder those qualities, most of those men were fighters and strong men that loved the Lord. That’s a mantra I want to be known for. I want to be a strong man and a warrior with a soft heart when it comes to God.”

Simpson reflects on 1 Samuel 17:48, that “as the Philistine [Goliath] moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet him.”

“[I believe] every word is there for a reason,” Simpson said. “David ran quickly. He didn’t step back in fear of Goliath for one second. He ran quickly. So often we can let fears take over. But it glorifies God when we step up and look fear in the eyes. Fear is from Satan, not from God.”

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