Simpson secures Deutsche Bank play-off win
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American Webb Simpson won the Deutsche Bank Championship after a dramatic final day at the TPC Boston.
Simpson beat compatriot Chez Reavie with a birdie on the second play-off hole to top the FedEx Cup standings with two play-off events to go. Reavie’s runner-up finish moves him up to 9th.
After Simpson birdied the final hole in regulation play to post 15-under in the clubhouse, Reavie needed a par on the par-five eighteenth for victory. But he pulled a wedge from 117 yards over the green and missed his eight-foot par attempt.
Both players birdied the eighteenth on the first play-off hole but then Simpson hit his approach to six feet on the next and holed for birdie and the win.
“I told somebody that winning for a second time might be easier, but it was tough,” said the 26-year-old winner, who moves up to 14th in the world rankings thanks to his second win in 2011.
England’s Luke Donald shot a final round 67 to finish tied-3rd with Australian Jason Day and American Brandt Snedeker on 13-under.
Overnight leader Bubba Watson faultered on the Monday-finish with a final-round 74 but finished with a flourish after sinking a long putt on the last for an eagle.
On a final day where any one of 20 players had a chance at the title, Simpson started like a train shooting a front nine of 30 (-6), which included four birdies and an eagle. Donald did the same, but his chances disappeared with a double bogey on the 12th.
The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings progress to the BMW Championship in two weeks time, all bidding for the $10m play-off jackpot.
Both Ernie Els and Geoff Ogilvy birdied the final hole to sqeeze into the field, replacing Kevin Na and Kevin Streelman. Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington failed to finish in the top 70, making them available, in theory, for selection for the Seve Trophy, which starts on September 15. Ian Poulter missed the cut this week and has sinced declared his availabilty for the matchplay event via Twitter.
Alan Wright’s Fairway Blues team tops the Today’s Golfer Fantasy League standings, selecting both Simpson and Donald along with T-8th finisher Adam Scott. Check your team or sign up here.
Deutsche Bank Championship final round leaderboard
-15: C Reavie (US), *W Simpson (US) *wins in play-off -13: B Snedeker (US), L Donald (Eng), J Day (Aus)-12: J Furyk (US)-11: B Van Pelt (US) Selected others : -10 H Mahan (US), A Scott (Aus) -9 P Mickelson (US) -8 E Els (SA), R Karlsson (Swe), B Watson (US) -7 C Schwartzel (SA) -5 S Garcia (Spa) -4 G McDowell (NI)
