Pro Golf Now
Fansided

Tour Championship: Three sleeper picks for East Lake

By Mike Randleman

NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 01: Tony Finau of the United States reacts after putting on the fifth green during round one of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston on September 1, 2017 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
NORTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 01: Tony Finau of the United States reacts after putting on the fifth green during round one of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston on September 1, 2017 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Tour Championship
GREENSBORO, NC – AUGUST 19: Webb Simpson walks to the 18th green during the third round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on August 19, 2017 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

Webb’s got his groove back. The four-time PGA Tour winner and U.S. Open champ toiled after the anchored putter ban went into effect on Jan. 1, 2016 but he’s regained confidence on the greens and in his game.

Simpson nearly won for the first time in four years with a third-place finish at the Wyndham Championship. He made all three cuts in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, including a T9 last week and a T6 at The Northern Trust.

He’s made the weekend 12 weeks in a row, displaying the consistency we saw from him in 2011-13.

Simpson’s putting still isn’t lights out (No. 89 strokes gained) but it’s serviceable and doesn’t as often get in the way of an otherwise well-rounded game.

He’s No. 29 in driving accuracy, fourth in sand saves, and third from scrambling inside 10 yards and outside of 30. It’s not always pretty, but Simpson gets the ball in the hole (No. 20 in scoring average).

Unlike the next two players on this list, Simpson has a track record at East Lake, where he’s making his first start since 2014.

Simpson finished fourth at the 2013 Tour Championship and tied for fifth in 2012. Simpson was first in the FedEx Cup standings entering the 2011 Tour Championship where he finished T22.

Home/Golf Power Rankings