SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 11, 2024

Webb Simpson

Waialae Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Start talking, Webb.

WEBB SIMPSON: Tough day. You come out of the hotel and it's blowing 25 already, so knew it was going to be a challenge mentally all day.

They did a good enough job with setup and the greens are soft enough where I knew scores would still be decent.

I think the rough is up more than any year I played. With soft greens, still gives us a chance. Very happy.

My last tournament was RSM, so haven't played in a long time. Been working our my game and it's been feeling good. Feeling good at home is a lot different than on TOUR, so I'm happy it's matching up.

Q. What did you do our on 1. What did you hit in?

WEBB SIMPSON: I hit 5-wood. Ripped drive, ripped 5-wood to the front edge; 9 I hit 9-iron in.

Q. What do you normally do on 1? What's the normal stock day?

WEBB SIMPSON: Normally it's the other wind and I hit anywhere from 9- to 7-iron. I had 3-wood out but I went back to 5-wood.

Q. What have you been working on in the off-season?

WEBB SIMPSON: Pauly is working with me now again on my full swing. And chipping really. Really the whole bag. Always takes a peek at everything.

I'm working on my backswing not dipping down and getting it deeper like I used to. We have this swing from -- a bunch of swings from 2013. That was technically our favorite pattern, and we're trying to get back to that.

I been really healthy so I been able to put a lot time in and hit a lot of balls. My neck has been great. So I saw him probably three weeks ago in Charlotte and then he sees me here on the range the other day and said everything looks like it's improving.

I came in -- I always love being here. I've had some good finishes here. So not a ton of expectations, but definitely more confident than I've been in the past. For sure more confident than I was here last year.

Q. What do you make of the schedule this year as it relates to you?

WEBB SIMPSON: Very up in the air. The only big tournament I'm definitely in is The PLAYERS. I've got one more year. AT&T and was kind enough to give me a spot, so I get that elevated. That's my next one. It'll be totally up in the air.

Florida swing could be -- Bay Hill if I got in. If I didn't, I would play Valspar. Kind of a lot of that. I'm playing San Antonio for the first time. I've never played Valero, but playing that for the first time. Got to support our great board member, Joe Gorder.

Q. How has your time on the board been now that you brought it up?

WEBB SIMPSON: Yeah, I brought it up. I've missed a lot of family dinners. I'll say that. A lot of board calls. But it's been great, frustrating, hopeful. Really all the emotions.

Really happy to have Tiger come on board. Any time you get to do something with him in the game of golf it's a special thing. For him to really give his time and come on board mid-year, whenever it was, he cares a lot. He's trying to position the TOUR to be in the best place moving forward.

I love working with him. He really does care and he is working behind the scenes. It's been a learning experience for sure. I came anything it was going to be super easy after COVID, and at least the elevated events already started, but it's been far from easy.

Q. Is there any truth to the rumor that Tiger is giving exemptions to all the guys on the board that need one?

WEBB SIMPSON: That would be great. I'll tell him I heard that rumor this week through Doug.

Q. Keep my name out of it. Have you been writing letters to try to get in...

WEBB SIMPSON: Oh, yeah. Funny you mentioned his. His is the only one I didn't write a letter to because it's my son's birthday that week. I've told him before I hate missing it because I do love Riv and supporting him, but I'm not going. Yeah, I written letters to everybody.

Q. What's was the last time you've written a letter?

WEBB SIMPSON: Been a long time. 2008. Right when I turned pro. I got five spots that summer. So I kind of remembered how do it. My letter this time was a lot better than last time. For sure. Yeah.

I'm excited for Pebble. Be fun.

Q. Is the board what you expected it was going to be?

WEBB SIMPSON: No. Not at all. I expected it to be -- we're not businessmen, us golfers, for the most part. I thought it was going to be more of a passive role. We've been as involved as anybody. The independents all have their strengths from their business background, so I'm learning a lot from them.

But it's required a lot of our opinions, and a lot of what we think is best for the TOUR. We said no a lot, said yes a lot. I think that first board meeting during Bay Hill, it was -- I was a little rusty. Never sat in a boardroom. I had a lot of thoughts when they were discussing certain topics.

I didn't speak up and I realized I got to speak up. That's why I'm there. The July and November board meetings were a lot better and enjoyable for me. Good group of guys. Very much a mixture of personalities.

So, yeah, I'm enjoying it.