|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIPAugust 13, 2014Webb SimpsonGREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA MARK STEVENS: I'd like to welcome Webb Simpson. Webb, you're getting ready to make your 6th start here at the Wyndham Championship where you had a win in 2011. Obviously we're celebrating 75 years here and you know as well as anyone growing up in this area and going to college here what this event means to the area and to the players. So if you want to open up, talk a little bit about that then we'll have some questions. WEBB SIMPSON: Yes.  It doesn't seem like a year ago I was here, but the year has gone by fast and it's nice to see that, you know, Wyndham is doing so many good things here in Greensboro for the PGA Tour. I'm fortunate to have two home events in Charlotte, the Wells Fargo, and Wyndham. I slept in my own bed last night. This is, for me, a special event my first win. We named our third child after this tournament, Wyndham Rose Simpson. She was born in May. I feel like there's a host of things for me to play for this week with the Ryder Cup, the FedEx Cup Playoffs start next week and trying to have another good year here. I love this golf course and I speak on behalf of the all players, Sedgefield is one of our favorite courses on Tour. Seems like modern day courses are moving to big parkland, open, long courses and this is -- feels old school, shorter, tighter, little trickier but it's so nice to be back and look forward to playing and seeing how the golf course is today. MARK STEVENS: Okay. Questions? Q. You touched on it a little bit. Talk about Ryder Cup and what your hopes are, you know, hoping for a good showing to increase your Ryder Cup chances. WEBB SIMPSON: Well, it's been a busy three months for my wife and I. I said we had our third child, we moved houses. I've been playing a lot and so it -- honestly, you know, the closer we get to it the more I'm thinking about it and you know I finished 31st at Akron, missed the PGA. Those were my final two chances to make the team off of points so super-unfortunate last week at the PGA to miss the cut. You know, it helped me I think that Phil and Zach made the team because they're both playing good golf and I think they would both have been picked had they not made the team. But, you know, Brendon Todd, Chris Kirk, are having great years. Hunter Mahan and Brandt Snedeker had a great week. A lot of guys still have an opportunity to make the team as the Captain's pick in the next three weeks. I am looking forward to it more now. It kind of happened last year with the Presidents Cup. As it was winding down I really started thinking about it. I don't think it will affect me negatively. If anything, it will kind of help me kind of feel like there's no pressure because I've got to play well to make the team and I texted with Tom a little bit and I want him to know I want to be on that team and, you know, hopefully I'll play well the next three weeks or at least solid golf to make it hard for him not to pick me. That's my goal. Q. How frustrating has this season been for you up and down? WEBB SIMPSON: Super-frustrating. I had two good tournaments last fall to start the year. I had a decent West Coast spring. March, April and part of May were just tough. Finally played good at Memphis and the Greenbrier but I talk about all the time this game is a process. I'm trying to get better. I feel like I'm getting better. I worked with a new driver last week that for the first time I feel like in awhile I'm super-excited about and so equipment-wise, I'm all set and ready to go. So, I think you know with what my caddie and I worked on the last really three, four months of getting out of bad habits I got into on the West Coast swing. I think it will set us up for a good remainder of the year. Q. Webb, last week or two weeks ago this course was hard and fast and now it's not, obviously. You hadn't seen it yet. How does that change things when you look at what the scoring might be this week? WEBB SIMPSON: Well, I remember when Sergio won here. I think that was the first year with the new greens. Any week on the PGA Tour if it's soft, if they get any rain the scores go south quick. So I think off the tee it will change just a little bit. The fairways widen when they're softer so we can be more aggressive. This course defense is the greens. I think hopefully the weather report looks like we're -- it's going to dry out a little bit so it will change as the week goes on. But, this course plays at it's best when it is firm and fast. I think by the weekend we'll see it playing how everybody around here wants to see it playing and you'll see more aggressive play Thursday, Friday but come the weekend probably a few more irons off the tee. Q. Does it help that you won here before? WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, definitely does. I think playing here every year since I turned pro helps because I've seen all different conditions. Last year we got -- it was cool and wet the whole week. You know, it seems like storms come every year but I have seen it firm and so, you know, got my yardage book from last year. I was just looking at it and I got a bunch of good notes that -- the hard thing is not thinking too much because I know the place so well. It's a matter of taking what I know and kind of keeping it simple. Q. Can you talk about that first tee on 2012 in the Ryder Cup what that feeling was like? WEBB SIMPSON: It was probably the loudest experience I've ever been through. It was amazing to see how much our fans care about the Ryder Cup and then the Europeans, they care equally as much. But it was a cool moment for me as a pro because Ryder Cup is something I've always wanted to do and be a part of and, you know, I remember thinking since I was a kid I wanted to be on the Ryder Cup team. We're about to go. It was just a fun moment. I was certainly nervous but it was exciting nerves and Bubba, he did his thing getting the crowd loud and couldn't really hear anything. It was a moment that I'll be able to tell my grandkids one day about. Q. Can you talk a little bit with about the FedExCup? You've never really come here in jeopardy but the kind of boost that you can get this week. WEBB SIMPSON: I found that, you know, I've come here in years past in the past few years and I've either played well or had a good Sunday to kind of propel me into The Playoffs. I always like playing before The Playoffs because we're about to enter a long stretch and so whenever you're in a long stretch it's tough to really work on things. You know, I had a few days off after missing the cut last week. I was able to practice. It's just a good kind -- I know it's a stressful week for a lot of guys who don't have their cards secured. For me in my position this year, I'm really trying to gain confidence and momentum going into The Playoffs just to help for FedExCup and Ryder Cup. There's so many big things left to play for this year. Q. You're playing with the Governor today -- WEBB SIMPSON: Yes. Q. -- and Senator Burr. Are you a political guy yourself? What will you guys talk about out there? WEBB SIMPSON: I'm not. I met Senator Burr through my years at Wake but I'll ask some questions and I'm going -- they'll know quickly that I'm not into politics by my questions "laughter". But it will be fun. When I met John Boehner at the White House a couple months ago and he told me that he's great friends with Senator Burr. I'm sure we'll talk about that and the White House visit and the jabs that Boehner and the President were giving each other. So it will be fun. And, you know, it's nice to see the support of so many different types of people for this event. Q. Little disappointed about not playing with Chris Paul? WEBB SIMPSON: Is he here? I got to try on his medal. Did he play this morning? I'll text him about it. Q. He's with Fred. WEBB SIMPSON: That makes sense. MARK STEVENS: Couple more. Q. Do you know anything about their games like Senator Burr or the Governor? Do you know anything about how good they are? WEBB SIMPSON: I don't. I watched the Governor hit balls at Wells Fargo and it looked pretty good but other than that, I don't. I don't know either of them that well at all. It will be nice to get to know them. Q. Speak about this day specifically, the Pro Am Day, as much as it is having fun out there, whatever, but at the same time you kind of are using this to get yourself prepared for the week to come. Can you just speak about that? WEBB SIMPSON: That's the fine balance that you got to -- us playing will have to realize these are the guys who help make these tournaments possible and these purses as big as they are but, at the same time, my caddie and I, it's our practice round. I don't play Tuesday as much anymore. Most of these guys and ladies we play with understand that and so, you know, I'll get all my talking out in the fairway and get on the greens my caddie and I kind of do our own thing. There's enough time out there to where we can -- I have plenty of time to get my work done while, at the same time, getting to know these guys. The funny thing is they're nervous and most of them are so competitive they're in their own world. They're talking less than I am. It's great to meet these guys and just show our appreciation for what they do for us. Q. When you were at the White House, what was it like when you went in the Oval Office and all that kind of stuff and behind the sense? WEBB SIMPSON: It was really cool because I don't remember this gentleman's title but he's a big golf fan. So I think the rules in the oval office were a little less lenient for us -- or more lenient for us. So, I got pictures on my phone of sitting in the chair. I probably shouldn't say that to everybody "laughter". We got to visit where the president eats dinner and breakfast and it was just really cool and all the guys were kind of on edge, didn't know what to do. One of the players, maybe Phil, asked if he could have one of the apples that was just sitting there. We were all kind of like little kids not knowing what we can touch and not touch. It was a fun experience and I think when you go through that and you see that it's on CNN and meeting the President and Vice-President you realize how big of an affect the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup has throughout the world. MARK STEVENS: Thanks for your time, Webb. Good luck this week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|