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ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – A return to Sea Island may be just what Webb Simpson needs after the worst year of his lengthy career. Playing Thursday on one of his favorite TOUR venues, Simpson shot his lowest round since late July, a first-round 67 that was highlighted by a hole-in-one and has him back in a familiar place, contending at The RSM Classic. Simpson used his trusty 4-hyrbird – a club that’s been in his bag for six years – to ace the par-3 third hole at Sea Island’s Plantation Course. It was his fourth hole-in-one on TOUR. “My target was about 15 feet right of the hole there, so I did pull it, but I did hit it good enough to where I knew it would cover on that line,” Simpson said. “And I do love my hybrids.” Simpson was T6, four shots off Cole Hammer’s lead, after making five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys on a cold day in coastal Georgia. He missed just two fairways and hit 13 greens, the fruit of his work with new instructor Cameron McCormick, who also teaches Jordan Spieth and phenom Tom Kim, who’s won twice on TOUR as a 20-year-old. Simpson is coming off his career-worst finish in the FedExCup (116th) and has a missed cut and T52 in his two fall starts. “I really feel that I’m finally on the right track,” Simpson said. “I’m healthy, I feel like what I’m working on is simple for me and I’m starting to have confidence again. I didn’t have that much confidence last year. It’s hard to create confidence out of nothing.” Simpson’s previous ace came at the 2020 WM Phoenix Open, a tournament he went on to win. Another win later that year at the RBC Heritage remains his most recent on TOUR. It was part of a career renaissance that saw Simpson return to the game’s upper echelon after overcoming his well-documented putting struggles. He won THE PLAYERS in 2018 and twice in the 2020 season to crack the top 10 in the world ranking, make four consecutive TOUR Championship appearances and represent the U.S. in consecutive years in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Sea Island, where Simpson has yet to win after multiple close calls, would be a fitting venue for him to return to the winner’s circle. He has finished in the top 10 in half of his starts in The RSM Classic, including two playoff losses and a third-place finish. His eighth-place finish at last year’s RSM was his lone top-10 of the season. “I learned the game in Wilmington, North Carolina, by the coast and I’ve always loved going to Hilton Head and I’ve always loved going to Sea Island for those reasons,” Simpson said. “I do love both golf courses here. I’d like for it to have been a little warmer, but I do love the wind.” Recently, Simpson has battled the lingering effects of a neck injury and fought some bad habits that crept into his swing after he tried to gain distance. He currently ranks 111th in the world ranking after sitting inside the top 10 as recently as spring 2021. The 2022 campaign was his first on TOUR that he didn’t post multiple top-10s. Simpson cited McCormick’s availability at TOUR events as one reason for the change. They’ve been looking at video from Simpson’s best seasons, in the opening and closing years of the 2010s, to help the self-described feel player get back into similar positions. “I think I’m going to blame myself (because) a couple years there I tried to hit the ball so much farther that I got into a number of bad habits,” Simpson said. “It was hard to see because it happens incrementally over time.” Simpson finished 80th in Strokes Gained: Approach last season, his worst showing since 2010, and was 93rd in Strokes Gained: Putting, ending a run of five consecutive seasons in the top 25 of that metric. He said even though he thought reverting to his older swing could cost him distance, Simpson was willing to make that trade-off. He said the distance gains have persisted, in part because of the strength he added during that process. “Most of this past year I had a two-way miss, where most of my career I’ve had a one-way miss,” Simpson said. “It’s a lot easier to play consistent golf that way. So I mean a day like today, it was a great day but I felt like I left a couple shots out there and that’s what my golf feels like. Whereas last year I feel like if I shot 5 under, it would have probably been I got the most out of it. “I’m optimistic. I feel like — I’m 37, I still have a number of years of good golf in me.”

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The newest class of World Golf Hall of Fame members will be inducted during THE PLAYERS week, and it includes one of the biggest names in the game’s history. Tiger Woods highlights the four people that will be inducted March 9 at the PGA TOUR’s Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Three-times U.S. Women’s Open champion Susie Maxwell Berning will join Woods in being inducted in the “competitors” category, while former PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem and the late Marion Hollins will be enshrined for their contributions to the game. The ceremony, hosted by David Feherty, will air live on Golf Channel at 7 p.m. Eastern. In addition to honoring the four newest Hall of Fame members, the induction ceremony also will recognize Dick Ferris and Peter Ueberroth, as recipients of a newly created lifetime achievement award for their contributions to the sport. Additionally, Renee Powell will be honored for her spirit in advancing diversity in golf, as the inaugural recipient of the Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company. The ceremony will take place in Northeast Florida for the first time since 2013, with the most recent ceremonies being held in Pebble Beach, California (2019), New York (2017) and St. Andrews, Scotland (2015). To prepare you for Wednesday’s ceremony, here’s a quick look at the four inductees. SUSIE MAXWELL BERNING Hometown: Pasadena, California Induction category: Competitor Birthdate: July 22, 1941 Major championships: 4 LPGA wins: 11 Awards and honors: LPGA Rookie of the Year (1964) Fact: Berning remains one of only six women to have won the U.S. Women’s Open on at least three separate occasions. Despite not taking up golf until age 15, Susie Maxwell Berning quickly took to the sport. She won three straight Oklahoma state high school championships and was the first woman to be offered a golf scholarship from Oklahoma City University (where she competed on the men’s team). Upon turning professional in 1964, she earned LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors. Throughout her career she won 11 times, including an impressive four majors – the 1965 Women’s Western Open, and the U.S. Women’s Open (three times) in 1968, 1972 and 1973. “Susie perfectly embodies what it means to be a Hall of Famer,” said former LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan. “She was a trailblazer from when she first picked up a club throughout her amateur career, and then made a big splash once she reached the LPGA Tour. I think about the short list of individuals – male or female – who have won three U.S. Open titles, let alone four major championships, and understand just how incredible that is. She also shortened her career when she made a decision to walk away to focus on family – something every female professional can empathize with and respect.” Quote: “Quite an honor. Just to be in the same room as Mickey Wright, Kathy Whitworth, Judy Rankin and Patty Berg – I tell you I remember when I first was on the tour, just how nice Patty Berg was to me and I was scared to death, as it was the first time I ever played with Mickey. To be honored alongside them is something I thought would never happen. I never even thought about it. I’m now part of their family, which makes me very proud.” – Susie Maxwell Berning TIM FINCHEM Hometown: Ottawa, Illinois Induction category: Contributor Birthdate: April 19, 1947 Accomplishments: Created Presidents Cup in 1994; Introduced the FedExCup in 2007; Established the First Tee in 1997; PGA TOUR and its tournaments raised over $2 billion for charitable organizations during his tenure; Spearheaded efforts to coordinate the bid for golf’s return to the Olympics in 2016 Awards and honors: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s Old Tom Morris Award; American Society of Golf Course Architects Donald Ross Award; PGA of America Distinguished Service Award; Dick Schaap Lifetime Achievement in Sports Award; Metropolitan Golf Writers Association Gold Tee Award; PGA TOUR Champions Tournament Advisory Council Bruno Award; KPMG Lifetime Achievement Award; National Golf Course Owners Association Award of Merit; National Golf Foundation Graffis Award. Fact: Finchem, a 1969 graduate of the University of Richmond, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the school in 2019. Under Tim Finchem’s leadership as Commissioner (1994-2016), he worked to ensure that giving back was part of the fabric of the PGA TOUR’s business model – as evidenced by the TOUR and its tournaments raising more than $2 billion in charitable contributions during his tenure. He also was instrumental in founding the First Tee in 1997. Since its inception, Finchem has helped the First Tee grow and develop into the positive youth development organization it is today, having reached more than 15 million young people on golf courses, in schools and through after-school programs. Finchem also led the creation and execution efforts around signature pillars in professional golf, including the FedExCup, FedExCup Playoffs and the Presidents Cup. During his 22 years as Commissioner, PGA TOUR prize money also grew from less than $100 million on three tours in 1994 to more than $400 million on six tours at the time of his retirement. Finchem’s impact expanded far beyond the PGA TOUR, as he left his mark on the global game. He spearheaded efforts to coordinate the bid for golf’s return to the Olympics, which became a reality in the 2016 after a 112-year absence. Quote: “It is the greatest honor to be elected to join golf’s most legendary players and contributors in the World Golf Hall of Fame. This is a truly humbling moment, for which I am most grateful, and I look forward to celebrating with my family and friends throughout the game of golf and the many people who made this possible for me. I am especially proud to stand alongside one of the world’s all-time greats, Tiger Woods, in the Class of 2022 and look forward to what will be an exciting year ahead.” – Tim Finchem MARION HOLLINS Hometown: East Islip, N.Y. Induction category: Contributor Birthdate: Dec. 3, 1892 Deceased: Aug. 27, 1944 Notable victories: U.S. Women’s Amateur (1921) Awards and honors: Northern California Golf Association Hall of Fame; Victorious playing captain in 1932 Curtis Cup Fact: Hollins, who raced cars and was the only woman in the U.S. with a men’s polo handicap, marched with Suffragettes in New York City and promoted sports for women and children. A visionary golf course developer/architect, Marion Hollins became a pioneer of the sport. A standout golfer who won the 1921 U.S. Women’s Amateur and served as captain of the first U.S. Curtis Cup team, she would shift her attention by contributing to the development of the Monterey Peninsula into a golf mecca. She made significant contributions to Cypress Point Club, and then founded and oversaw the development of Pasatiempo Golf Course. Fellow Hall of Fame member Alister MacKenzie credits Hollins with the idea for the iconic 16th hole at Cypress Point, with her suggesting it be played as a par-3 (instead of a par-4). Later, in collaboration with MacKenzie and Bobby Jones, she provided her influence on the development of Augusta National Golf Club. Quote: “When you start reading about Marion Hollins, you realize what a trailblazer she was. In her era, she didn’t have many resources with the status of women in sports and golf. To be that kind of trailblazer with that kind of enthusiasm and energy and get into course development and design is very inspirational. She was an advocate for women and changed the landscape of the game.” — Annika Sorenstam, Class of 2003 Inductee TIGER WOODS Hometown: Cypress, California Induction category: Competitor Birthdate: Dec. 30, 1975 Majors & THE PLAYERS: 17 PGA TOUR wins: 82 DP World Tour wins: 8 Japan Golf Tour wins: 2 Asian Tour wins: 1 Ryder Cup appearances: 8 Presidents Cup appearances: 9 Awards and honors: PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year (1996), PGA Player of the Year (1997, 1999-2003, 2005-2007, 2009, 2013); PGA TOUR Player of the Year (1997, 1999-2003, 2005-07, 2009, 2013); Vardon Trophy Award (1999-2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013); Byron Nelson Award (1999-2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013); Mark H. McCormack Award (1998-2010, 2013); AP Male Athlete of the Year (1997, 1999, 2000, 2006); AP Athlete of the Decade (2009); Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (1996, 2000); Charlie Bartlett Award (2007); GWAA Ben Hogan Award (2019); Presidential Medal of Freedom (2019) A winner of 93 worldwide events including a record-tying 82 on the PGA TOUR, Tiger Woods is a 15-time major champion and a three-time winner of the Career Grand Slam. Woods completed the “Tiger Slam” in 2000-01 when he became the first golfer since Bobby Jones to hold all four men’s major championship titles at the same time. He also won THE PLAYERS in 2001, holding the five biggest titles in professional golf concurrently. A two-time champion of THE PLAYERS and the first two-time winner of the FedExCup, Woods has competed on eight Ryder Cup and nine Presidents Cup teams, including when he served as a playing captain of the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team in 2019. He is an 11-time PGA TOUR Player of the Year and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 following his fifth Masters victory. Outside the ropes, Woods’ TGR Foundation has supported more than two million students around the world. Quote: “I am both honored and humbled to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. This past year has been such an incredible journey and the support I’ve received from my family, friends and fans has been overwhelming. This achievement is the ultimate recognition to never give up and keep chasing.” –Tiger Woods

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