Simpson rallies for PGA Tour win

Associated Press

NORTON, Mass.

Webb Simpson, a PGA Tour winner for the first time just three weeks ago, figured his next win would be easier.

It was more work than he could have imagined Monday at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

He had to make three par saves in the middle of the back nine just to stay in the game.

He had to make a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 6-under 65, which got him into a playoff only when Chez Reavie finished with a bogey on the easiest hole at the TPC Boston.

Simpson made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th in the playoff after Reavie chipped to tap-in birdie range.

Then, Simpson completed his comeback with an 8-foot birdie on the second extra hole at No. 17 to win the FedEx Cup’s second playoff event and move to No. 1 in the standings, giving him a clear shot at the $10 million prize.

Pretty simple, huh?

“I told somebody early this week that I feel like next time I was in contention, it’ll be a lot easier than Greensboro,” Simpson said. “And it wasn’t that way at all.”

It was hard on Reavie, too, for a variety of reasons.

He started the season on a medical exemption because of knee surgery a year ago and lost full status by June. Not only did Reavie claw his way into the playoffs, he had a one-shot lead playing the par-5 18th.

His plan all along was to lay up short of the ravine with a one-shot lead. He didn’t count on his sand wedge turning with the wind and going over the green, leading to a bogey when he missed a 10-foot putt.

“Unfortunately, my wedge didn’t quite work out,” Reavie said. “But all in all on the day, I played fantastic.”

He immediately found some consolation in his 66 for a runner-up finish. Even though he won’t have full status on tour until next year, Reavie moved to No. 9 in the standings and is assured of getting to the FedEx Cup finale at the Tour Championship, putting him in Masters, U.S. Open and British Open.

The top 70 advance to the third playoff event in two weeks outside Chicago. Ernie Els, Geoff Ogilvy and Chris Stroud made it by one shot with clutch play on the 18th hole — birdies for Els and Ogilvy, an eagle for Stroud.