Spotlight on: Webb Simpson in the RSM Classic at Sea Island Resort in Georgia
- Dave Tindall
- 17 November 2021
The American is hoping to end his rather lacklustre year on a high and looks to have the perfect setting to do so.
It's fair to say that 2021 hasn't gone the way Webb Simpson planned.
He failed to make the season-ending Tour Championship (contested by the top 30 on the FedEx Cup points list) for the first time since missing out in 2016 and didn't do enough to secure a spot on Steve Stricker's Ryder Cup team.
Simpson won twice in 2020 but couldn't add to his seven PGA Tour titles this year.
But before we write 2021 off as a year to forget, it wasn't exactly all bad.
He was tied 12th at the Masters, tied 30th at the PGA Championship and tied 19th in the Open Championship.
And since missing the cut in July's Rocket Mortgage Classic, he's made the top 20 in five of his last eight starts.
His most recent outing was a tied 14th in the CJ Cup in Las Vegas where he finished 66-65.
Now, he gets to play an event - contested over the Seaside Course (three rounds) and the Plantation (one round) - where he's finished runner-up in both 2011 and 2019 and also third in 2018.
That record in the RSM Classic and encouraging recent form mean the bookies are taking him seriously and PlanetSportBet slot Simpson in as the 14/1 second favourite behind 12/1 Scottie Scheffler.
Let's take a look at his credentials this week, starting with some comments from his Tuesday press conference.
On being back at the RSM Classic
"I love being here for many reasons. I've had a couple chances to win. I feel comfortable on both golf courses, especially Seaside.
"We're close to the beach. I was able to win the RBC Heritage at the beach. I just love -- I grew up at the beach, I love being near the water, so I feel like I'm just relaxed here.
"I didn't grow up coming to Sea Island, but have become very familiar in the last few years with the area. I think overall just being relaxed for us players is a good thing and that's how I feel around this golf course."
On the state of his game
"Yeah, so I've had a month off. I've been working a lot on my game. I feel really good.
"I had a lesson with Butch Harmon in Vegas and he simplified it for me and just told me these are the couple things I want you to work on, and I've done that and I feel really good about my game.
"It's nice coming into a place where I've had success with confidence, so I'm really excited to tee it up Thursday. Yeah, after this I'll get a longer break, but excited for the season to kind of keep going starting in January.
On being able to bring his family to the event
"It's a destination spot all summer for families to come and relax and get a week at the beach. There's so much to do.
"My kids know this is the place with the candy shop over at The Cloister. They're starting to remember stops on Tour with really fun things they've done. Obviously they have the beach they can go on.
"For those of us with kids and kids in school, it's harder to get them to travel with us. So I look to any opportunity close to Charlotte (his home) to bring my family because, again, it's less time away from them and hopefully they'll look forward to coming."
Simpson in Georgia
Simpson doesn't like flying so any event played in Georgia, near to his base in Charlotte, gets a thumbs up.
And it shows in his performances.
In his last 10 Georgia starts, he's finished in the top 20 nine times! That includes four top fives - twice here, the Tour Championship and The Masters.
Simpson in the first round
Simpson was the first-round leader here in 2019 when opening with a 65 at the Seaside Course.
He also topped the Thursday standings in this year's WGC-Workday Championship in Florida and has been the first-round leader an impressive 11 times in his PGA Tour career.
In his last five starts in Georgia, his end-of-R1 finishing positions read 4-31-6-18-1 so he has a history of starting fast in the state.
Simpson in a 72-hole match
PlanetSportBet have paired Simpson in a 72 Hole Match with Scheffler.
Scottie Scheffler has dominated Simpson for most of the year
The two have contested the same event this year 14 times and Scheffler has shot the lowest score on 10 occasions.
But before we shove our chips onto the Texan, note that Simpson has come out on top in each of the last three, outscoring Scheffler in the BMW Championship, the Shriners and the CJ Cup.
Simpson also beat him in the last two shared events they played in Georgia (the 2020 and 2021 Masters at Augusta).
Conclusion
Simpson is always one to consider when he has conditions in his favour and that's definitely the case this week.
His comfort levels are high on this property and his game is definitely sharpening up again.
He's a valid bet in any of the markets mentioned.
