Raleigh native PGA Tour golfer Webb Simpson hopes home cooking at Wyndham helps jolt season

“There ya go way-ub!”

The cry, and its inviting Southern drawl, cut through the cheers greeting Webb Simpson at Sedgefield Country Club on Friday. The Raleigh native, who now lives in Charlotte, was right at home as soon as he teed off on hole 10.

Simpson finished the first round of the Wyndham Championship at 2-under par (70). After teeing off at 10, Simpson had a challenging start on the front nine, finishing 2-over, but recovered well. He finished T40, well above notable participants such as Keegan Bradley and Shane Lowry, to name a few.

The Wyndham is a special place for Simpson. He attended college at Wake Forest, just a half-hour drive from Sedgefield. Simpson played his first notable junior golf event here, and, in 2011, his father presented him the Wyndham Championship trophy as a pro. It was Simpson’s first PGA Tour title.

Thus began a long love affair with the tournament. It’s not a like, but a deep passion. Simpson’s daughter, the third of five children, is named Wyndham Rose.

Sedgefield is a refuge for Simpson. He’s found a consistent level of success at the Wyndham, with two runners-up and 10 top-10 finishes. Simpson is Wyndham’s leading money winner, having raked in over $4 million in earnings here. Nobody else has earned more than $3 million.

But elsewhere? Simpson has six other PGA Tour wins, the last of which came in 2020. That’s also the last year he made it to the FedExCup playoffs.

In Simpson’s 12 tournaments this season, he has yet to finish in the top 10. His last top-10 finish was at — you’d never guess — Wyndham in 2023. He finished fifth.

Simpson enters Greensboro ranked 149th in the FedExCup standings, but he isn’t setting his sights low. Rather, it’s quite the opposite.

As Simpson walked up the sloping driveway in front of Sedgefield Country Club following his first round, just like he’s done so many times before, Simpson didn’t hesitate to announce his goal: “I want to have a chance to win.”

Everyone feels more comfortable at home. But at Wyndham — which has meant so much more to so many more golfers in the current playoffs format — will that be enough for Simpson?

‘A great week to try it’

Simpson missed the cut for the U.S. Open two years in a row prior to this June, where he had to qualify just to play. Even then, he may have had some second thoughts about participating had the U.S. Open not been at Pinehurst.

Clearly, the familiar feel is important to Simpson.

So at Wyndham — the last regular-season event and essentially a hometown tournament for Simpson — he finally convinced his wife, Dowd, to caddie for him.

“She’s a great athlete herself, so she understands sports and she’s watched me so long that I thought, ‘Man, it’d be fun,’” Simpson said. “It’d be a great week to try it [at] a place I’m really familiar with. She did a great job, and we had a great time.”

Dowd was always where she needed to be, providing the right clubs, snacks and always having Simpson’s water bottle ready. But most importantly, she brought her humor.

The couple grinned and chatted with other caddies between putts. On hole No. 3, just before teeing up, Simpson joked about gray hairs he now has. He credits them to his kids.

Simpson was surrounded by family and friends alike. His first-round group included longtime friend and recent Payne Stewart award winner Brandt Snedeker. The two discussed, among other topics, how old they each were when they got their first cell phones.

Simpson, age 39 as of Wednesday, remembers playing Snake on his old Nokia.

“15 years as a pro, it’s easy for golf to start to be like a job only,” Simpson said. “I wanted to reintroduce having fun while playing golf.

“I feel like I did that today.”

‘A lot of life has happened’

As you walk into the Wyndham, Simpson’s face greets you. A banner bearing his likeness hangs on a black pole amidst a string of other former champions. These signs hug the curving pavement path, like streetlights lining a downtown strip, at the tournament’s entrance.

“Oh man,” was Simpson’s reaction as he looked at the photo on Friday.

The memories, so many memories, flooded his mind and spilled out as he began to reminisce.

His eldest son James, now 11, was six months old at the time. Simpson’s late father and first golf coach, Sam, was there.

Simpson notched two second-place finishes that year before breaking through at Sedgefield.

After sinking the final putt in 2011, Simpson clenched his fist. As he bent down to pick up his ball, he shook his head ever so slightly — almost as if he didn’t believe it.

“It was so special to win here,” Simpson recalled, later adding, “It was worth the wait.”

As Simpson put it, “a lot of life has happened” since then. Simpson and Dowd have welcomed four more children. The proud father has had “so many great experiences and tough experiences as a pro.”

Simpson’s play has hardly made headlines this season, and yet, his name has appeared numerous times in the increasingly controversial news cycle dominating professional golf.

In April, the Associated Press reported Simpson — one of six player directors on the PGA Tour board — offered to resign if Rory McIlroy replaced him. Simpson’s board seat, and his unusual request in hand-picking his successor, has since become a hot topic of conversation on the Tour.

Simpson has also received several sponsor’s exemptions this season despite a tanking world ranking, beckoning more criticism.

But being back at Wyndham is warm and inviting. It’s familiar. Sedgefield reminds Simpson of the golfer he once was — and could still be.

“Sometimes,” he said on Friday, “I want to get back to that player.”

‘I knew great golf was in there’

Simpson’s first nine holes at Wyndham were less than ideal. After bogeys on the 12th and 15th holes, Simpson made a long putt on 18 for, well, another bogey. He sat at 2-over par (37.)

“I told my wife on 18, I just hadn’t played great golf,” Simpson said. “But I knew great golf was in there. And I just told her, ‘We’re going to go make a bunch of birdies coming in.’”

The 39-year-old missed a couple putts early, but shored up his game at the turn. He felt the momentum. He felt the old Simpson.

Well, sort of. Simpson credits his broomstick method — he uses an Odyssey Ai-One “Cruiser” Jailbird — for his improved putting. Simpson made the switch at the Wells Fargo Championship in May after seeing local phenom Akshay Bhatia’s success with a similar putter.

It’s a stark shift for Simpson, who’s known for his stubborn attachment to older equipment.

“We’re playing four days, 72 holes, and I don’t have to light it up every day,” Simpson said. “But I just want good consistency. I want to feel good on the greens, and it’s increased my confidence.”

It’s just one example of how Simpson, even in the latter stages of his career, is always looking to improve. He’s also been working on the mechanics of his golf swing with coach Joseph Mayo. Simpson hopes the tinkering will develop a stroke that will give him success “for 10 more years.”

Whether it was his new form, or just a sense of comfort, Simpson played the back nine with poise and ease in the opening round. Simpson recorded birdies on holes No. 1 , 2, 5 (he nearly had an eagle here) and 6. He parred the rest of the way, finishing his second nine at 4-under.

It reaffirmed his goals. And as the skies opened up and a brief rain shower sprinkled Sedgefield on Friday afternoon, Simpson spoke with a twinkle in his eye.

“I do want to have a chance to win,” Simpson said. “I think the comeback today on the front nine gave me the opportunity to still kinda hang in there and have a chance.”

His play after the turn wasn’t stellar, but it was something. And if Simpson is to get something going this summer, anything, it may as well be at the Wyndham.