Webb Simpson ended a five-year victory drought by winning the Players Championship in May and now he’s gunning for more.
The 32-year-old Simpson, who won the 2012 U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, carded a career-low 9-under-par 61 to take a one-stroke lead over Whee Kim of South Korea after one round of the Military Tribute at the Greenbrier on the Old White TPC at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
Simpson collected seven birdies and an eagle on the 12th hole in his bogey-free round.
“I got a good break because right before the weather delay I hit a terrible tee shot on the 13th hole and was able to straighten things out in the warm-up before we went back out,” said Simpson, who has won five times on the PGA Tour. “This was a great start, but there are some good scores out there so I have to keep the pedal down.
“I just took it one shot at a time, each shot I just as important as the next one. I knew (a chance) for 59 was in there, but I finished with two pars, and that’s fine. I chipped in for eagle on No. 12, and we were laughing because I did the same thing in the first round here last year.”
Kim, 26, who claimed his second Korean Tour win the Descente Korea Match Play Championship last month and had his best PGA Tour result early this season when he lost to Patrick Cantlay in a playoff at the Shriners for Children Hospitals Open, had 10 birdies in his 62.
Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who made five birdies in his first eight holes after starting on the back nine, is third at 63, while Kelly Kraft birdied two of his last three holes and is fourth at 64.
Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA champion, made a 42-foot eagle putt on the 12th hole in a 65 and is tied for fifth with Chad Campbell, who sank a 20-footer for eagle at No. 12, Jason Kokrak and J.J. Henry.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele of La Jolla and San Diego State recorded a 66 and is in a huge tie for ninth with Phil Mickelson, Kevin Chappell of Fresno and UCLA, Ryan Moore, Tom Hoge, Steve Wheatcroft, Austin Cook, Billy Hurley III, Ollie Schneiderjans, Harold Varner III, Robert Streb, Zecheng Dou of China, David Lingmerth of Sweden, Brandt Snedeker and Stephan Jaeger of Germany.
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