Simpson leads by two at Chattanooga Classic
CHATTANOOGA , Tenn. -- On a calm morning with perfect scoring conditions Webb Simpson took full advantage and tied the Chattanooga Classic 18-hole scoring record, held by his former Wake Forest team-mate, Kyle Reifers (71), shooting a stunning 11-under-par 61 at the Black Creek Club, to lead by two strokes.Tied for second, with 9-under 63, are Skip Kendall, Kris Blanks and Matt Weibring.
Scott Stallings, a Monday qualifier from Knoxville, TN is 8-under-par with one hole remaining when play was suspended due to darkness.
All eight players at 7-under, including Ricky Barnes, No. 25 on the money list, have completed their opening round.
Simpson began with a birdie at the 10th hole and another at the 12th before reeling off five birdies in a row on holes 14-18 to make the turn in 29, 7-under. Four consecutive birdies on holes 4-7 had the 23-year-old, Raleigh, NC native at 11-under with two holes to play and thinking about the magical 59.
“I ran my putt for birdie on eight about six feet by the hole but I made the come-backer,” said Simpson. “I was trying to make it so I had a shot at 59 but it wasn’t to be.”
Simpson, who hit all 18 greens in regulation, made important birdie putts at holes 14 and 18, both six-footers, which kept his momentum going.
“It would have been a bummer if I’d parred those two,” said Simpson, who is fortunate to even be in the tournament this week. He shot 5-under 67, after a 1-over-par front-nine, at Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in the Monday Qualifying tournament, without getting a previous look at the course because of delayed flights.
After turning professional in June this year Simpson is playing his sixth Nationwide Tour event with a career-best solo 2nd finish at the Price Cutter Charity Championship in July. The following week Simpson accepted a sponsor’s invitation to play in the PGA TOUR’s RBC Canadian Open where he missed the cut. Asked if he should have stayed on the Nationwide Tour and consolidated his position, Simpson replied, “It was a tough decision. I wanted to stay out here and keep playing but I got into Canada through a family friend. I wanted to honor the commitment.”
“It’s a similar course to Springfield (Price Cutter) where you know you’re going to have birdie opportunities,” said Simpson, about the visually intimidating, deceptively simple, Black Creek Club. “You’ve got to shoot at pins all day. It makes the other rounds a bit easier. It’s nice to have a little cushion.”
Kendall’s round was a solid one – nine birdies and nine pars – and his lowest score this year.
“If you’re playing well the course was there for the taking,” said Kendall, the 44-year-old Milwaukee, WI, native, who describes his year as very inconsistent.
“I’m working on a bunch of things with my teacher, Mike Bender, and I drift back into old habits. That creates the inconsistency. In 2005 I was hurt. Trying to alleviate the pain, I got into some bad habits,” said Kendall, who had back-to-back top-three finishes in July this year. “Except for the couple of events in the middle of the year it’s been like a roller-coaster. There will be lots of low scores today. I’m fortunate to get one of them.”
Also hurting was Blanks, a Bluffton, SC resident, who hit all 18 greens and chipped-in twice for eagles at the par-5 fourth and 14th holes. His bad back, injured the week after winning the Bank of America Open in May, has given him grief for the last three months and has limited his practice sessions.
“It’s no fun coming to tournaments and showing up, hoping to play good,” said Blanks, who has withdrawn from two events after the opening round this year. “My focus now is to get ready for the Tour Championship – then get ready for January,” he added, referring to the PGA TOUR, where he is headed next season.
Weibring, from Dallas, TX, improved his opening round by a stroke compared to last year when he shot 64 on the first day. He shot 30 on the front-nine and added a birdie at the 10th hole before giving it back with a bogey on 11. An eagle at the par-5 14th hole and a final birdie at the 18th gave the Georgia Tech standout his lowest first round score since the Fort Smith Classic in May when he shot 64, eventually tying for fifth.
Nationwide Tour money leader, Brendon de Jonge (67) began the round with a pair of birdies before making triple-bogey at his third hole. The big Zimbabwean picked up six more birdies and is tied for 27th. Jarrod Lyle, No. 2 on the money list shot a bogey-free 66.
Simpson’s goal now is to make enough money to avoid the first stage of Qualifying School (top-70 on the money list), finish the year strong and get into the Tour Championship (top-60 on the money list).
“It’s one of those things I’m hoping for but if not, we’ll see what happens. It’s early, there are 54-holes to go and anything can happen. Look at my old team-mate,” said Simpson, referring to Reifers. “He shot 61 in the final round two years ago to win so you never know.”
First Round News & Notes: In 17 rounds on the Nationwide Tour, Webb Simpson has shot over-par only once (73, 4th round, Oregon Classic)…Brian Smock withdrew with a wrist injury before the beginning of the first round and was replaced by Jim Rutledge (72)…Dicky Pride (74) withdrew after the first round…Geoffrey Sisk (65), who is ranked No. 1 in Driving Accuracy with 79.24%, shot 30 (-6) on the back nine…Cameron Percy shot 60 (-12) on his own ball in the Wednesday pro-am, which was won by Ricky Barnes and his team with a score of 42…Billy Andrade (70), the 44-year-old PGA TOUR veteran, made his Nationwide Tour debut. The Atlanta resident didn’t make the field in Las Vegas for the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital event and is here because he “just wants to play golf, find a rhythm, and play a little bit in a row”…Former Tusculum College football receiver Matt Riggs won the annual long-drive competition with a 364 yard blow, out-driving several Nationwide Tour professionals including Ben Bates, Kelly Grunewald and Josh Broadaway. Riggs had already qualified for next week’s Re/Max Long Drive World Championship so this week’s victory was a good warm-up…Knoxville Open Tournament Director, Matt Wright, is caddying for fellow Knoxville, TN resident Keith Nolan this week...Play was suspended due to darkness at 6:55pm with 16 players left to complete their rounds. Those players will resume their first round at 8:40am Friday. The second round will begin, on schedule, at 7:55am.
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