Webb Simpson Takes 101st Southern Amateur Title

PINEHURST, NC - Webb Simpson scrambled for par on the final hole for a dramatic, one-stroke victory in the 101st Southern Amateur Championship played July 18-21 at C.C. of North Carolina Dogwood Course. Simpson, a Wake Forest junior, closed 68-272, making a 6-foot par putt on the closing hole to avoid a three-way playoff with charging Southern Cal Trojan Tom Glissmeyer and South Korean Seung Su Han.

Glissmeyer came charging out the pack, tying the competitive course record 63, which had been freshly set three days earlier by Orlando's Sam Saunders in the opening round. The Southern Cal junior birdied five of the first six holes to launch his charge. On the 18th hole, Glissmeyer, playing four groups ahead of Simpson, left a 25-foot eagle putt just short that would have lowered the record and ultimately forced a playoff.

But it came down to Simpson needing only a par on that closing, uphill par-5 hole to win. He bunkered his drive, whacked out a 3-iron to a 120-yard, blind approach to the hole, and sent a pitching wedge five yards over the green. The gallery, mostly pulling for Simpson who grew up learning golf on the CCNC course, gasped.

"I thought I was right on line and perfect," Simpson recalled. "My heart sank when I didn't hear a reaction from the crowd." He chipped out of the heavy, greenside rough to within six feet and holed the par putt to yank a belated whoop from the onlookers.

Having won the Southern Am two years earlier in Myrtle Beach, Simpson joins such elite golf names as Bobby Jones, Lanny Wadkins, Vinny Giles and Justin Leonard on the short list of players who have won the storied old tournament more than once. The victory also earned Simpson a return trip in the spring of 2008 to play in the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, which annually awards a berth to the Southern Am winner. The win also bolstered his bid for a berth on the U.S. Walker Cup team. That honor came two weeks later for Simpson. Buddy Marucci, U.S. captain, played in the Southern Am to observe some of the top candidates.

"It was a tough day," said Simpson. "It was nice to have my dad on the bag to calm me down every now and then. The wind blew and I felt the pressure to perform for all the people out there pulling for me."

Saunders, Palmer's grandson and a rising sophomore on the Clemson golf team, grabbed first-round attention with that first 63. He was overhauled during the second round by Simpson, defending champ Kyle Stanley and Garrett Osborn of Birmingham. The four were knotted atop the leaderboard at the tournament midpoint at 8-under-par 136.

With a third-round 68, Simpson eased in front by a single shot to set the stage for the final-round drama.

Complete results:

Webb Simpson, Raleigh, N.C. 70-66-68-68--272
Seung Su Han, Henderson, Nev. 71-69-65-68--273
Tom Glissmeyer, Colorado Springs, Colo. 69-73-68-63--273
Drew Kittleson, Scottsdale, Ariz. 72-66-70-66--274
Billy Horschel, Grant, Fla. 69-70-67-71--277
Matthew Swan, Montgomery, Ala. 67-71-70-71--279
Rudi Bezuidenhout, Australia 72-69-70-68--279
Andrew Georgiou, South Africa 70-68-72-70--280
Greg Forest, Palm City, Fla. 71-68-69-72--280
Rory Hie, Los Angeles, Calif. 66-74-68-72--280
Mark Harrell, Hazelhurst, Ga. 70-69-69-73--281
Ritchie Gallichan, Australia 71-69-70-71--281
Tim Jackson, Germantown, Tenn. 70-70-71-70--281
Jonathan Hodge, Strawberry Plains, Tenn. 71-72-71-68--282
Michael Thompson, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 70-73-68-71--282
Brian Harman, Savannah, Ga. 69-73-75-66--283
Lucas Lee, Torrance, Calif. 71-68-73-71--283
Blake Trimble, Houston, Texas 70-69-73-72--284
Parker Beck, Duluth, Ga. 72-68-69-75--284
Tanner Ervin, Mount Pleasant, S.C. 74-66-72-72--284
Zack Sucher, Mobile, Ala. 70-70-69-75--284
Corey Nagy, Charlotte, N.C. 67-72-71-75--285
Jonathan Moore, Portland, Ore. 72-73-69-71--285
Michael Barbosa, St. Petersburg, Fla. 74-67-74-70--285
Phillip Mollica, Anderson, S.C. 75-69-70-71--285
Sam Saunders, Orlando, Fla. 63-73-73-76--285
Terrence Miskell, New Braunfels, Texas 71-67-68-79--285
George Bryan, Chapin, S.C. 70-72-74-70--286
Zack Byrd, Carolina Shores, N.C. 68-73-72-73--286
Brian Noonan, Austin, Texas 73-71-73-70--287
Bud Cauley, Jacksonville, Fla. 74-71-70-72--287
Chris McCartin, Arlington, Va. 73-68-75-71--287
Garrett Osborn, Birmingham, Ala. 66-70-71-80--287
Jhared Hack, Sanford, Fla. 73-70-71-73--287
Jimmy Lytle, Ocean Ridge, Fla. 73-71-75-68--287
Steven Groover, Hoover, Ala. 75-66-73-73--287
Barden Berry, Kinston, N.C. 70-75-73-70--288
Jordan Byrd, Pendleton, S.C. 72-71-71-74--288
Kyle Stanley, Gig Harbor, Wash. 69-67-78-74--288
Matt Cook, Cullowhee, N.C. 71-71-72-74--288
Patrick Rada, Anderson, S.C. 74-69-73-72--288
Robbie Wight, West Palm Beach, Fla. 66-75-71-76--288
Scott Sikes, Roanoke, Texas 71-71-77-69--288
Trey Denton, Madison, Miss. 74-71-72-71--288
Bryant Lach, The Woodlands, Texas 71-69-75-74--289
Connor McHenry, Jefferson City, Mo. 71-73-73-72--289
Henry Zaytoun III, Raleigh, N.C. 73-69-76-71--289
Matt Savage, Louisville, Ky. 68-71-74-76--289
Philip Pettitt, Murfreesboro, Tenn. 70-73-72-74--289
Robert Riesen, Pinehurst, N.C. 72-71-75-71--289
Travis Wadkins, Dallas, Texas 71-71-76-71--289
William Miller, Venetia, Pa. 71-74-73-71--289
Bryce Ledford, Ooltewah, Tenn. 66-73-77-74--290
Matthew Pierce, San Juan Capistrano, Calif 74-71-72-73--290
Russell Henley, Macon, Ga. 70-75-74-71--290
Derek Rende, Soddy Daisy, Tenn. 73-71-73-74--291
Eddie Peckels, Pinehurst, N.C. 69-75-75-72--291
Eric Shriver, Cary, N.C. 71-73-75-72--291
Kenny Kim, Cerritos, Calif. 71-69-77-74--291
Mike McCoy, West Des Moines, Iowa 72-73-73-73--291
Zack Reeves, Arlington, Texas 76-69-72-74--291
Gator Todd, Florence, Ala. 74-71-74-73--292
Grant Leaver, Centerville, Tenn. 71-69-75-77--292
Patton Kizzire, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 71-73-72-76--292
Beau Willis, Weatherford, Texas 72-73-76-72--293
Jeffrey Griest, Glen Mills, Pa. 70-75-77-71--293
Michael Buttacavoli, Miami Beach, Fla. 73-72-71-77--293
Adam Mitchell, Chattanooga, Tenn. 73-70-77-75--295
Casey Clendenon, Nederland, Texas 71-74-76-74--295
Kevin Newman, Missouri City, Texas 73-70-82-71--296
Nathan Stamey, Canton, N.C. 70-72-76-78--296
Michael Daniels, Decatur, Ala. 70-73-74-80--297
Thomas Smith, Chattanooga, Tenn. 71-72-79-75--297
David May, Auburn, N.Y. 75-70-78-77--300

Failed to make cut:

Brad Robinson, Johnson City, Tenn. 72-74--146
Buddy Marucci, Villanova, Pa. 75-71--146
Eugene Elliott, West Des Moines, Iowa 75-71--146
Jon Curran, Hopkinton, Mass. 73-73--146
Jon McLean, Weston, Fla. 74-72--146
Nicolas Geyger, Santiago, Chile 75-71--146
Ryan Holler, Morehead City, N.C. 76-70--146
Ryan Linton, Pinehurst, N.C. 72-74--146
Will Griffin, San Antonio, Texas 73-73--146
Brad Doster, Winter Park, Fla. 76-71--147
Eric Durbin, Houston, Texas 76-71--147
Jack Freeman, Garland, Texas 73-74--147
Josh Oller, Jackson, Miss. 75-72--147
Ryan LeFevre, Boca Raton, Fla. 75-72--147
Ryan Posey, Dallas, Texas 75-72--147
Song Jeon, Tallahassee, Fla. 74-73--147
Tyson Alexander, Gainesville, Fla. 71-76--147
Baxter Culler, Hartsville, S.C. 74-74--148
Brandon Berry, LaGrange, Ky. 77-71--148
Craig Smith, Springfield, Tenn. 74-74--148
Dan Crockett, Franklin, Tenn. 74-74--148
Glenn Northcutt, Dothan, Ala. 71-77--148
Hunter Slatton, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 70-78--148
Jarrod Barsamian, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. 75-73--148
Jason Turner, Little Rock, Ark. 74-74--148
Jordan Holley, Greensboro, N.C. 76-72--148
Joshua Kinsey, Orange Park, Fla. 74-74--148
Nick Bailes, Cleveland, Tenn. 76-72--148
Ryan Hybl, Winterville, Ga. 73-75--148
Scott Tashie, Memphis, Tenn. 77-71--148
Creighton Honeck, Austin, Texas 76-73--149
Jack Hall, Sea Island, Ga. 74-75--149
Kevin Tway, Edmond, Okla. 76-73--149
Paul Haley, Dallas, Texas 76-73--149
Robert Jamieson, Orlando, Fla. 72-77--149
Russell Helson, Georgetown, Texas 77-72--149
Tyler Lane, Dayton, Tenn. 74-75--149
Wes Roach, Knoxville, Tenn. 76-73--149
Adam Cohan, Wayne, Pa. 79-71--150
Alex Castro, Alpharetta, Ga. 75-75--150
Ben Martin, Greenwood, S.C. 79-71--150
Chris Condello, Heathrow, Fla. 78-72--150
Colby Hyduke, Bennettsville, S.C. 77-73--150
Kyle Ellis, Senatobia, Miss. 75-75--150
Spencer Provow, Murfreesboro, Tenn. 75-75--150
Beck Troutman, Fernwood, Miss. 74-77--151
Brad Benjamin, Rockford, Ill. 76-75--151
Brandon DeStefano, Franklin, Texas 75-76--151
Brent Long, Bowling Green, Ky. 74-77--151
Brian Leveille, Basking Ridge, N.J. 73-78--151
Brice Bailey, Germantown, Tenn. 75-76--151
Daniel Obremski, Irwin, Pa. 80-71--151
Derek Fathauer, Jensen Beach, Fla. 79-72--151
Jason Pendleton, Superior, Wis. 74-77--151
Jimmy Brandt, Auburn, Ala. 74-77--151
Kevin Vollmer, Rockville, Md. 75-76--151
Matt Fast, Hattiesburg, Miss. 78-73--151
Trent Leon, Dallas, Texas 76-75--151
Wes Korth, Cookeville, Tenn. 75-76--151
Andy Winings, Brownsburg, Ind. 78-74--152
Bryant Hare, Raleigh, N.C. 84-68--152
Jack Fields, Southern Pines, N.C. 79-73--152
Kyle Collins, San Antonio, Texas 78-74--152
Michael Smith, Lafayette, La. 76-76--152
Taylor Hall, LaGrange, Ga. 77-75--152
Ben Klaus, Edmond, Okla. 77-76--153
Patrick Cunning, Aiken, S.C. 78-75--153
Adam Weinstein, Orlando, Fla. 78-76--154
Adam West, Montgomery, Ala. 79-75--154
Chase Duncan, Raleigh, N.C. 75-79--154
Chris Wilson, Monroe, La. 77-77--154
Ian Cutting, Fayetteville, Ga. 79-75--154
ames Brannen, Clarksville, Tenn. 77-77--154
Spence Fulford, Rocky Mount, N.C. 78-76--154
Marc Campbell, Southlake, Texas 80-75--155
Russell Burke, Pinehurst, N.C. 77-78--155
Chesson Hadley, Raleigh, N.C. 80-76--156
Bryce Voisin, Orlando, Fla. 77-80--157
Devin Spies, Sarasota, Fla. 80-77--157
Kevin Sohn, Hammond, La. 75-82--157
Jamie Lightsey, Fort Mill, S.C. 83-75--158
Joey Davis, Huntersville, N.C. 83-75--158
Josh Tompkins, Acworth, Ga. 83-75--158
Randy Sroka, Crofton, Md. 76-82--158
Scott Lincicome, Pinehurst, N.C. 76-82--158
Tom Wyatt, Aiken, S.C. 84-74--158
Tyler Baird, Knoxville, Tenn. 83-75--158
Dylan Raines, Phoenix, Ariz. 78-81--159
Tyler Dice, Chapel Hill, N.C. 83-76--159
Winston Ball II, St. Pete Beach, Fla. 78-84--162
Grant Rafield, Birmingham, Ala. 82-81--163
Steven Brame, Henderson, N.C. 80-84--164
Timothy Byrd, LaPlace, La. 83-84--167
Brandon Kuban, Newnan, Ga. 79-WD--WD