U.S. Open: Tiger, DJ and a decade of champions
2012 Champion – Webb Simpson
Webb Simpson’s U.S. Open win came at the Olympic Club in San Francisco when he edged past 2010 champion Graeme McDowell and Michael Thompson by a single stroke in the final round. His only major championship title to date came a year after his first PGA TOUR win, at the 2011 Wyndham Championship.
Simpson will be coming to Erin Hills ranked 68th in the OWGR and 38th in FedExCup points. At best, he’s a middling player right now. But Simpson has game, as his 17-under par, runner-up finish at the 2017 Waste Management attests.
The Wake Forest product won’t be likely to contend at Erin Hills, although he’s on track to make the cut and play the weekend in the cast of supporting characters. He’s shorter than average off the tee and competent but not outstanding in his tee-to-green iron play.
Simpson’s greatest weakness, and the one that will probably keep him off the first page of the board until he fixes it, is his putting. His SG: putting -0.536 will likely kill the chances of this nice guy who puts fatherhood before golf hoisting another U.S. Open trophy.