Scott Simpson (golfer)

Last updated
Scott Simpson
Personal information
Full nameScott William Simpson
Born (1955-09-17) September 17, 1955 (age 68)
San Diego, California
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Sporting nationalityFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Residence San Diego, California
Career
College University of Southern California
Turned professional1977
Current tour(s) Champions Tour
Former tour(s) PGA Tour
Professional wins16
Highest ranking 11 (June 21, 1987) [1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour7
Japan Golf Tour3
PGA Tour Champions1
Best results in major championships
(wins: 1)
Masters Tournament T7: 1990
PGA Championship T6: 1984, 1993
U.S. Open Won: 1987
The Open Championship T9: 1993
Achievements and awards
Haskins Award 1977

Scott William Simpson (born September 17, 1955) is an American professional golfer.

Contents

Amateur career

Simpson was born in San Diego, California, and played college golf at the University of Southern California, where he was two-time medalist at the NCAA Championship in 1976 and 1977. At the end of 1976 Golf Digest ranked Simpson the #1 amateur in the country. [2]

Professional career

He turned professional in 1977 and graduated in 1978. He played on the PGA Tour from 1979, and won seven PGA Tour events between 1980 and 1998.

The highlight of Simpson's career was the U.S. Open in 1987 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, his only major title. He birdied the 14th, 15th, and 16th holes of the final round to overtake Tom Watson by one stroke and finished with a three under par total of 277.

Simpson became eligible to play senior golf in 2005 and won his first and only Champions Tour title in 2006.

In team competition, Simpson played for the United States in the Walker Cup in 1977 and the Ryder Cup in 1987. He lists bible study among his interests and attributes his success to it. He and his wife Cheryl have two children: Brea Yoshiko and Sean.

Simpson was previously a Democrat (during Bill Clinton's presidency he was the only PGA Tour player vocally to support him), but became a Republican later on and supported George W. Bush. [3]

Amateur wins

this list may be incomplete

Professional wins (16)

PGA Tour wins (7)

Legend
Major championships (1)
Other PGA Tour (6)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Jul 6, 1980 Western Open 70-69-70-72=281−75 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Andy Bean
2Jun 10, 1984 Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic 66-68-70-65=269−155 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Graham, Flag of the United States.svg Jay Haas,
Flag of the United States.svg Mark O'Meara
3Apr 5, 1987 Greater Greensboro Open 70-73-69-70=282−62 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Clarence Rose
4Jun 21, 1987 U.S. Open 71-68-70-68=277−31 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson
5May 28, 1989 BellSouth Atlanta Golf Classic 72-68-71-67=278−10Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Bob Tway
6May 16, 1993 GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic 65-66-68-71=270−101 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Billy Mayfair, Flag of the United States.svg Corey Pavin,
Flag of the United States.svg D. A. Weibring
7Feb 8, 1998 Buick Invitational 69-71-64=204*−12Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Skip Kendall

*Note: The 1998 Buick Invitational was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

PGA Tour playoff record (2–3)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result
1 1983 Kemper Open Flag of the Republic of China.svg Chen Tze-chung, Flag of the United States.svg Fred Couples
Flag of the United States.svg Barry Jaeckel, Flag of the United States.svg Gil Morgan
Couples won with birdie on second extra hole
Jaeckel eliminated by par on first hole
2 1989 BellSouth Atlanta Golf Classic Flag of the United States.svg Bob Tway Won with par on first extra hole
3 1991 U.S. Open Flag of the United States.svg Payne Stewart Lost 18-hole playoff;
Stewart: +3 (75),
Simpson: +5 (77)
4 1994 Southwestern Bell Colonial Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Nick Price Lost to birdie on first extra hole
5 1998 Buick Invitational Flag of the United States.svg Skip Kendall Won with birdie on first extra hole

PGA of Japan Tour wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
1Apr 29, 1984 Chunichi Crowns 68-73-67-67=275−5Playoff Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Isao Aoki
2Nov 18, 1984 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament 71-71-72-68=282−6Playoff Flag of Germany.svg Bernhard Langer
3May 1, 1988 The Crowns (2)71-69-71-67=278−23 strokes Flag of the United States.svg David Ishii, Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Masashi Ozaki

PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (2–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 1984 Chunichi Crowns Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Isao Aoki Won with par on first extra hole
21984 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament Flag of Germany.svg Bernhard Langer Won with par on second extra hole

Other wins (5)

Champions Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runners-up
1Sep 3, 2006 Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach 67-69-68=204−121 stroke Flag of the United States.svg David Edwards, Flag of the United States.svg Jay Haas

Major championships

Wins (1)

YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
1987 U.S. Open 1 shot deficit−3 (71-68-70-68=277)1 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson

Results timeline

Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
Masters Tournament CUT1140T41T25T27CUTT38
U.S. Open T45T23T15T13T25T15CUT1T6T6
The Open Championship T65T62T26
PGA Championship T30CUTT32T9T6T12T41T47CUTT53
Tournament199019911992199319941995199619971998
Masters Tournament T7T22T13T11T27T29CUT
U.S. Open T142T64T46T55T28T40CUT58
The Open Championship T39T57T9CUTCUTT33
PGA Championship T66CUTT6CUTT54CUTCUT
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament 0000161512
U.S. Open 11024101917
The Open Championship 00001197
PGA Championship 0000341711
Totals11029216047

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002
The Players Championship CUTT51CUTT2T61T33T33CUTT4CUTCUTCUTT17CUTCUTT11CUTCUTCUTCUTT63
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

Professional

See also

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References

  1. "Week 25 1987 Ending 21 Jun 1987" (pdf). OWGR . Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  2. "Dunaway Finds His Game..." The Charlotte Observer. 1977-01-30. p. 56. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  3. "PGA Tour is Pro-Bush, Pro-Iraq".