WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Webb Simpson dodged the rain at Wednesday’s pro-am and pronounced the Old White TPC course to be in typically pristine shape.
“It’s great,” said Simpson, making his fourth trip to the Greenbrier Classic. “We were still getting roll in the fairways, greens were bouncing, greens are at a nice speed. I was just happy I got 18 holes in today. It didn’t look like we were going to get it in.”
After failing to make the cut in 2010, Simpson finished ninth in 2011 and tied for seventh last year.
“I’ve been in contention here the last two years,” he said. “I was leading last year by a couple, and I just didn’t play well on the back nine last year on Sunday. That’s the difference.
“I think it’s just me continuing to keep playing well, and hopefully I’m in that position on Sunday where I do have a chance to win.”
The 27-year-old Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, will be grouped with fellow Wake Forest alum Bill Haas on Thursday.
“You know, it’s rare to feel like there’s a guy on Tour that roots for you, because we’re trying to beat everybody each week,” Simpson said. “You want to see your buddies play well, but at the end of the day you want to beat them, and I think he’s one of the few that actually roots for me.
“I wish I could call him a teammate—we missed each other by a year—but great alum partnership that I feel like we have.”