IIRBC HERITAGEII
TEE OFF I time
WEBB SIMPSON WILL DEFEND RBC HERITAGE TITLE BY ANTHONY GARZILLI
Webb Simpson is back to defend his championship at half feels like a vacation. I think that’s what’s led me to the 53rd RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. The April play pretty good there each year because I’m in a fresh 12-18 tournament is at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton mindset.” Head Island. Simpson said his ability to be one of the world's top Simpson, a Team RBC Ambassador, surged through a golfers is a credit to the team that surrounds him, including tightly packed leaderboard last June to win the Heritage. his family, caddie and agent. He finished 22-under-par 262 to beat a group that included “I’ve learned I need to get away from results and get Daniel Berger, Sergio Garcia and Brooks Koepka. The closer to my process,” he said. “I’ve learned in this game, winning score was a record, beating Brian Gay’s 20-under it’s a funny game, you can’t define it as clear as you want 264 finish in 2009. to. If you have a good process and “I’ll never forget that walk up 18,” have a good team around you, you Simpson said during RBC Heritage are going to see results.” Presented by Boeing virtual media day. Simpson will be joined by South “It was an honor to win there.” Carolina native Dustin Johnson. Simpson said last year’s win was J o h n s o n , a Te a m R B C extra special because of the coronavirus Ambassador, earned his second pandemic. He stayed sharp by major championship at the 2020 practicing before the tournament and Masters, where he won by five was ready to perform at a high level. strokes and became the first player He said the win offered something with a 72-hole score lower than positive during trying times for his 270. friends and family. He won the FedExCup for the “I got a lot of great texts from first time in 2020. friends and family saying they missed Garcia and Berger are scheduled golf, they missed their Saturday to compete. afternoons, Sunday afternoons Garcia won the Sanderson watching us try to beat each other,” Farms Championship on October, Simpson said. where he birdied the 72nd hole to The win was Simpson’s seventh win by one stroke. It was his first PGA Tour title. win since the 2017 Masters. He His other PGA Tour victories finished last year’s RBC Heritage include the 2020 Waste Management tied for fifth place and will be Open, 2018 Players Championship and making his fifth start at Harbour the 2012 U.S. Open. In his 10 previous Town. Webb Simpson starts at Harbour Town, he carded six Berger earned his fourth victory top-20 finishes, including a secondon the PGA Tour at the 2021 place finish in 2013. AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He Simpson, who in mid-March was won by two strokes over Maverick ranked No. 9 in the World Golf Rankings, said he’s excited McNealy after sinking a 30-foot, 7-inch eagle putt on the to compete in front of a limited number of fans. 72nd hole. He was tied for third place at last year's RBC “We have missed the fans,” he said. “There is excitement Heritage and will making his fourth start at Harbour Town. from the fans. I love it.” Other golfers scheduled to compete are RBC Hilton Head Island offers a great distraction away from Ambassadors Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker, golf, Simpson said, noting the bike rides, beach and and Graeme McDowell (read more about them on page restaurants. The relaxation allows him to compete at his 66). Bluffton native Bryson Nimmer earned a sponsors best. exemption. “Anything we can do to get our minds off of golf, off Also committed are Paul Casey, Matthew Fitzpatrick, of competing, off of preparing is a good thing,” Simpson Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton. For updates on the field, visit rbcheritage.com. said. “It feels like a work week half the time and the other
I’VE LEARNED IN THIS GAME, IT’S A FUNNY GAME, YOU CAN’T DEFINE IT AS CLEAR AS YOU WANT TO. IF YOU HAVE A GOOD PROCESS AND HAVE A GOOD TEAM AROUND YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE RESULTS.
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