Sports > March 20, 2008

By Jeff Merski | Senior writer

While the golf team enjoyed a weekend off following a first place finish at the General Hackler Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C., senior golfer Webb Simpson continued to play, traveling to Orlando, Fla. to compete in the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

This was Simpson’s second time participating in this tournament.

Simpson missed the cut in 2006 by shooting 3-over-par over the first two days.

Simpson finished the tournament by shooting even-par over the four days, good enough to earn him a tie for 31st place in the tournament.

Some of the golfers that competed in the event included Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen and Phil Mickelson.

In finishing 31st, Simpson tied Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk and beat out other well-known golfers such as Fred Couples, Ian Poulter and Davis Love III.

Simpson qualified to compete in the event by winning his second Southern Amateur title in 2007.

In his first two rounds at Bay Hill, Simpson shot a 1-over par each day.

This was good enough for him to make the cut, which was right at his score of 142.

The top 71 players got to advance (out of 125 players to enter the tournament).

Former Deacon golfers Len Mattiace, Bill Haas and Billy Andrade all missed the cut.

Simpson birdied the 17th and 18th holes in the second round to advance.

In the third round of the tournament on March 15, Simpson shot an even-par 70, moving him into a tie for 47th in the tournament.

Simpson recorded two birdies against two bogeys in this round.

In the final round on March 16, Simpson shot a 2-under-par 68. Simpson had four birdies on the day, with the only blemish on his scorecard being a double-bogey on the par 4 16th hole.

Prior to this, Simpson had been at 4-under-par for the day and under par for the tournament.

With two pars to finish the tournament, Simpson finished at even par for the tournament.

Following his appearance at Bay Hill, Simpson will be participating in the Wake Forest team matchplay championship.

He faces sophomore Brendan Gielow in the event, which he has won the previous two years.