What they said: Webb Simpson

text size

MORE INTERVIEWS: McGladrey Classic transcript archive

JOHN BUSH: Webb Simpson joins us here. Webb, 4 under par 66 today, great playing, disappointing finish there in the playoff, though. Just get your comments on the day as a whole.

WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, it was pretty much a dream Sunday for ball striking. We hit it great again like yesterday, and to make no bogeys on Sunday in contention is always a very good positive. But we just struggled on the greens again. We missed a five footer on 7, missed another five , six footer on 13 and then didn't birdie 15, the par 5, so that was kind of my day.

And then the playoff, I got lucky to get through that first hole. Ben hit a great shot in there and we made a really good up and down, and to be honest on 17 I thought I hit a good putt, we were playing it straight in, and I looked up and it was on the right lip. A little disappointing, but I'm happy for Ben. He's good friend. It was a little weird playing off with him, being competitors, but all in all, it's a great week, and I've got a lot to build on.

Q. Was there a spike mark?

WEBB SIMPSON: There was a big ball mark in my line, and I thought I repaired it pretty good. You know, late in the day when you've got so many guys coming through with foot traffic, it's hard to tell what happens. But I've played golf long enough to know that I hit a pretty good putt there. As soon as I hit it, I looked up expecting it to be going in, and saw it catching the right lip. You know, it was unfortunate to end that way. You don't want to end on a three putt, but that's just the way it happened, and Ben deserves it.

Q. (Inaudible.)

WEBB SIMPSON: In the playoff? I hit 5 iron and just got a little quick with it and hit it thin and came up short in the bunker.

Q. A lot of positives to take into next week, though, as far as the ball striking? You'll be putting on the same type of greens, so do you think having had this event before Disney will help you?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, I think it will. This might sound a little funny, but we've hit it a worse the second half of the year even though I've won twice. So this week my caddie and I, Paul, we were talking, and this is the best week I've hit it probably in four months, consistently, day to day. You know, I had a couple nice days in Greensboro of ball striking, a couple nice days in Boston, but I hadn't had a four day display of ball striking like this in a while. We're pretty excited. We have a few big events here coming up, so the golf swing is coming around at the right time.

Q. As a follow up, are you the type where the putting usually sorts itself out when you get in stages where you feel like you're not putting well?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, I think putting has always been my strongest part of my game, so I think we as golfers like to look for things sometimes that aren't there, and so I'm just going to keep working on mechanics. Paul has seen me putt great, and he knows he's got an eye for my setup when I was putting great and kind of the way I look over the putter, so we'll just try to talk about that, I think, the next couple days and see if we can iron it out for the week.

Q. Big picture, probably a lot of positives to take out in terms of cash?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, I mean, I think coming in, finishing second is going to make it a lot harder for Luke. But I'm sure he's going to play well. He's played well most every week this year. I still wouldn't be surprised if I have a little work to do next week.

Q. He has to at the very least finish in a two way tie for second.

WEBB SIMPSON: It's going to be fun. I'm sure he's going to come he's had a week off, so I'm sure he's rested and ready. It would be nice to run away with it, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's going to be pretty close. Winning would take care of a lot, I think.

JOHN BUSH: Webb, thank you, appreciate it.