Webb Simpson navigated his way through a few mistakes and weathered big runs from Tiger Woods, Jason Dufner and others to win The Players Championship by four shots on Sunday.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Webb Simpson navigated his way through a few mistakes but not too much stress to win THE PLAYERS Championship on Sunday. Staked to a seven-shot lead, no one got closer than four shots of Simpson, even after a double bogey on the 18th hole when his only concern was finishing the hole. He closed with a 1-over 73 for a four-shot victory and his biggest win since the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic Club. Tiger Woods made another big run. So did Jason Dufner, Jimmy Walker and Danny Lee. None could do enough to catch Simpson during record scoring in the final Players Championship in May. Justin Thomas shot a 66 and tied for 11th, which was more than enough to move to No. 1 in the world.
Shohei Ohtani didn’t come away with the win, but his 11-strikeout effort didn’t go for naught, as Zack Cozart delivered a walk-off single to lift the Angels to a 2-1 win over the Twins in Sunday afternoon’s series finale at Angel Stadium.
If there’s one thing you need to tame TPC Sawgrass, it’s a well-rounded game. That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Webb Simpson excelled in every area during his four-shot victory at THE PLAYERS Championship. Simpson led the field in driving accuracy (82 percent) with five metalwoods in the bag, including a Titleist 917D2 driver that replaced his 917D3 during the Honda Classic. Simpson tried Graphite Design’s Tour AD 125 TX that week before eventually settling on the shaft manufacturer’s Tour AD IZ 5 X model at the WGC-Mexico Championship. “His driver was worn over the last few months and one of the most important things was finding a shaft and head combination that maximized distance and control,” said Titleist Tour rep J.J. VanWezenbeeck. “The Titleist 917D2 driver and [TourAD] IZ 5 shaft allowed him to get a little longer and still have the control he was seeking.” Another unique nugget regarding Simpson’s setup is that he employs two hybrids with different shaft materials. His 20-degree Titleist 913Hd has a Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105X Hybrid graphite shaft, while the 23.5-degree 915Hd features True Temper’s Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 — the same steel shaft he employs in his irons. “The biggest thing for Webb is that he doesn’t mind how many headcovers are in his bag,” said Titleist Tour rep J.J. VanWezenbeeck. “He knows his ball flight and hitting his number matters most.” The 32-year-old also led the field in strokes gained: putting (plus 9.368) with Odyssey’s Tank Cruiser V Line Long putter. The former anchor user was forced to give up his belly putter at the beginning of 2016 and spent time working with a conventional-length model before settling on the 44-inch long model. With a claw grip that was suggested by former anchored putting user Tim Clark, Simpson rests the Odyssey Arm Lock grip against his forearm — a setup that was popularized by Matt Kuchar and remains legal under the anchor ban. Here’s a look at Simpson’s entire equipment setup.  Driver: Titleist 917D2 (Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 5X shaft), 9.5 degrees 3-wood: TaylorMade (Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei CK Pro 70TX shaft), 15 degrees 5-wood: Titleist 913Fd (UST Mamiya Proforce VTS 8TX shaft), 18 degrees Hybrid: Titleist 913Hd (Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105X Hybrid shaft), 20 degrees, Titleist 915Hd (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shaft), 23.5 degrees Irons: Titleist 718 MB (5-PW; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts) Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 (54-14F degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft), Titleist Vokey Design 2017 Prototype (60-06K degrees; True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft) Putter: Odyssey Tank Cruiser V Line Long (44 inches) Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Â
After an April that was month to be forgotten, May has turned into a reset for the Reds as they swept the four-game series against the Dodgers with a 5-3 victory and ran their winning streak to six games. Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez each delivered two-run shots, while starter Luis Castillo struck out eight in six innings.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Justin Thomas was already No. 1 in the FedExCup when he got to TPC Sawgrass for THE PLAYERS Championship. Now he’s No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, too. “I don’t care how I get it, if I get it,â€� Thomas said, “but I would much rather shoot 10 under on the weekend and earn it as opposed to missing the cut and have D.J. not play well.â€� After making the cut on the number at 1-under and rebounding with a third-round 68, Thomas shot a final-round 66 at overcast TPC Sawgrass to finish 11-under (T11). It was out of his hands at that point, and Johnson spun his wheels during a final-round 72 to finish T17, opening the door for the change at the top. “It means a lot,â€� Thomas said, “but it’s something I want to have for a long time, it’s not something I just want to have once.â€� Thomas has won seven times on the PGA TOUR, including twice this season, since the start of the 2017 season. He also won the FedExCup last year. He came into this PLAYERS on the heels of a T21 at the Wells Fargo Championship and a missed cut with partner Bud Cauley at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Although he admitted he got sidetracked earlier this season by the prospect of potentially reaching No. 1, Thomas was able to put it out of his mind at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday. He made six birdies, an eagle and a double-bogey, missing birdie chances from close range on 17 and 18. He said he was headed home with his family to relax and play pool, part of a much-needed rest after three straight weeks on the road. “I love this golf course,â€� he said. “I always have; I’ve always said that. There’s something about it. It’s so exciting to go play because I truly feel like you can shoot 9-, 10-, 11-under, you really can, just because of the length of the golf course and if you’re driving it well and how good the greens are.â€� Tom Lehman, who was at THE PLAYERS in a social capacity before driving to the Regions Tradition, next week’s stop on the PGA TOUR Champions in Birmingham, Alabama, was No. 1 for one week in 1997. “It’s something that’s always next to your name,â€� Lehman said. “No one can take it away, and there aren’t many people who have gotten there.â€� Thomas, who was the college Player of the Year in his freshman year in Alabama, is the 21st person to reach No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He wouldn’t say whether or not the achievement appeared on his goals list, which he keeps on his phone. “It’s important,â€� he said, “but like I said, it’s not something where it’s like I just want to do it once. I want to do it for a really, really long time.â€�
Boston handed LeBron James the largest halftime deficit of his postseason career en route to a dominant series-opening win.
For a moment, The Players Championship appeared up for grabs with Tiger Woods in contention. Then Webb Simpson slammed the door shut.
Webb Simpson hits from an eighth hole sand trap, during the final round of the The Players Championship. (AP) For a moment Sunday, The Players Championship appeared up for grabs, with Tiger Woods stunningly one of those in contention. But only for a moment
