Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
WOW. WOW, WOW, what a record-setting THE PLAYERS Championship! What a PLAYERS! Webb Simpson was one of six golfers to shoot an opening 6-under 66 on Thursday.
The 2012 U.S. Open Champion took control of the tournament with a course record tying 63 in Round Two that earned him a 5-stroke lead. But that 63 had a potential of being a 59 with a birdie-birdie finish. Instead Simpson dunked one on the iconic 17th and parred the home hole.
Webb increased his lead to 7-strokes with a Saturday 68 while Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth shot 65 to move up the leaderboard to a T9 position after barely making the cut on the number at 1-under par 143.
On Sunday Woods made it interesting with a charge that recorded six birdies in the first twelve holes to move within three strokes of Simpson and his lead. However, as in his Saturday 65, he finished over par for the final six holes; three strokes on Sunday, one stroke on Saturday. Spieth never got it going and finished with a watery snowman eight on the home hole. Simpson played a steady round on Sunday trading off two bogeys with two birdies through fifteen holes. A birdie on No. 16 pretty much sealed the deal. Even after a second shot long into the water and ensuing double bogey on No. 18, Simpson posted a Sunday 73 and a 4-stroke victory over Xander Schauffele, Charl Schwartzel, and Jimmy Walker, all who shot Sunday 67s.
In the end it was Webb Simpson posting his 5th PGA TOUR victory, the first since the ‘Anchor ban’ went into effect. Congratulations to 2018 PLAYERS Champion Webb Simpson and caddie Paul Tesori!
Here are some of my Facebook posts for PLAYERS Week in Chronological order with a gallery of 130 pictures below:
It’s PLAYERS Time 2018!!! Enjoy!!! What day you coming out to TPC?
The party, otherwise known as the 2018 THE PLAYERS Championship, has now begun! First AAGTD assignment? AAGTD? Andy’s Adult Golf & Travel Diary… one heck of an event at the ABC Fine Wine & Spirits! My things have changed since attending my first event back in 2018… new store, lots more vendors and participants, and the outside after event for craft beers, cigars, etc.! Good to see some old friends and some new ones too! See you out on the TPC Stadium Course! TROML Baby! (Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 30 Pics; Wednesday, 5-9-18)
Rickie Even, Phil Even, & Tiger Plus 2 off 7 tee… (Round One, Thursday, 5-10-18)
LOL, followed Tiger & Phil for first 8 holes then cut over to see some actiin on 17 & missed Tiger’s eagle at No. 9. I thought it odd to see Phil hitting Tiger ‘stinger’ shots in front of Tiger. Not very well bt the way, failed to reach the fairway on No. 7 & bunkered left on No. 8. Tiger’s slinger: Phil’s sand slinger! (Andy Reistetter, Facebook Post with 30 Pics; Thursday, 5-10-18)
Round 2, off 18 tee (their 9th of the day): Tiger minus one, Phil plus lots, Rickie plus a few… projected cut 77 players at minus one… lots more golf to be played!
Webb Simpson 10- under par through 15 holes today, leading by 6 strokes… thought 2016 was a big scoring year with Jason Day shooting a course record 63 in Round 1 and Rory nearly going one lower in Round 2… c’mon 3-under on the final 3 holes and make that a course record extraoridnaire of 59! Amazing golf!
Another day of watching Tiger, Phil, & Rickie…cut came at minus one… only Tiger playing the weekend… another spectacular day on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass! No 59 or even a course record 62 for Webb Simpson but a 5-stroke lead heading into the weekend! (Andy Reistetter, Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Friday, 5-11-18)
Will the 2018 PLAYERS end like the 2016 PLAYERS? Webb Simpson (Jason Day) enters the weekend with a big 5-stroke (4-stroke) lead and shoots even par the final two rounds to WIN???
Show time for AGTD on Saturday of the 2018 PLAYERS! Here is my patented way called ‘cascading spectatoring of golf tournaments.!’ Ride my bicycle over to TPC. See the 2:20 pm Chesson Hadley/Charles Howell III pairing tee off. Follow them the first three holes. Stay put atop the flag hillside and watch the 2:30 Patrick Cantlay/Danny Lee pairing play No. 3. Walk with them thru No. 5 green. Stay putt and watch the final 2:40 pm Webb Simpson/Charl Schwartzel pairing approach and walk with them thru the 8th green. Afterwards head over and walk through the 16/17 stadium area of the Stadium Course. Hop on the bike and make the toughest decision of the day. Where to watch the end on Round 3 on NBC? Bogey Grill, Pussers, or Nona Blue??? Oh yeah and say hello to folks I know and some that I do not yet know but know a couple of them will be lifelong friends. Take lots of pictures. Post a Saturday AGTD report! Sleep well and repeat on Sunday! Happy PLAYERS! TROML Baby!
Starting with Noren & JDay, one of these guys could definitely win, JDay having already done so in 2015…
Definitely the post Players place to be! Nearly a brawl about the Big Screen…. 7 pm moment of clarity… stay on NBC Stanley Cup or switch to Live From The Players on Golf Channel? First time golfers ever dominated hockey players! TROML Baby!
Unbelievable Saturday at THE PLAYERS Championship! Spieth 65, Tiger 65, Webb Simpson 68 with a historic 7-stroke lead over Danny Lee, DJ, JDay, Dufner, Schaufelle, Schwartzel, Jimmy Walker… Spieth, & Tiger: yes, are 11 strokes back BUT only from Simpson… only 4 strokes back of 2nd place & only 8 golfers ahead of them. Play well Webb Simpson but do not look back or come back because the field will run you over! Gonna be a great Players Sunday. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mommas out there! (Andy Reistetter, Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Saturday, 5-12-18)
Thinking if Tiger can shoot 62 he may just win this golf tournament. So far so good, 6-under today in 12 holes…. T2 , five strokes back… from cut line to finish line hoisting the PLAYERS Trophy???
Beautiful & inspiring 34th Annual Non-Denominational Church Service on the back lawn of the Clubhouse at 7 am this morning! Hosted by Scott Adams of the NE Florida FCA and Damon Olinto the 2018 Tournament Chairman the service included the Chets Creek Nocatee Worship Team and a special solo by Lindsey Bryant from Crosswater Community Church.
Ted Scott, Bubba Watson’s caddie shared his story which was very interesting. A collegiate golfer he became interested in Foosball. Ted’s mantra is to “find someone better than you and learn from them.” More than interested in Foosball, Scott became a world champion Foosball player! Having conquered Foosball he went back to golf and turned professional originally as a teaching professional. A sponsor found him and backed him for a while. Then the Web.com tour came through his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana. Paul Azinger sought him out to learn how to play Foosball and somehow he connected with Bubba and two Masters victories and the rest is history. His conversion story was one of the quiet type. Not able to keep all the rules, he heard a sermon and set up a meeting with the priest a few days later. Once again he simply found someone better than himself and discovered that he is a servant at heart. Scott shared an interesting Bubba story from the week of his first Masters win. Surprisingly the most amazing shot Bubba hit that week, in Ted’s perspective, was not the hooked wedge out of the trees on the 10th hole in the playoff but a recovery shot off the pine straw on No. 10 on Friday.
Lindsey’s solo echoed Adams’ introduction which set up Scott’s share which led to Pastor Chris Price from Chets Creek Nocatee’s sermon message based on the Bible and Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Additionally, Pastor Price spoke to the only God referenced hero in the Bible—Gideon who did great things through his obedience and trust in the Lord. We can find our own peace in Christ by ridding ourselves of pride and sin. Not an easy task but doable through Christ. A life of love, grace, and peace awaits us! Al-le-lu-ia! (Andy Reistetter, Facebook Post with 19 Pics, Sunday 5-13-18)
Enjoyable Sunday morning following Justin Rose and Tony Finau on the first nine holes. Rose started with a birdie on No. 1 but then 3-putted from 30 feet for a par-5 on the second hole, always a major MOJO buster. Finau birdied the 2nd and 3rd holes after bogeying No. 1 but then was even par for the next six holes. Rose bogeyed No. 8 and birdied No. 9 to turn at 1-under for the day. After that I left to go home and watch the rest of PLAYERS Sunday on TV. Of course Rose would go 5-under on the second nine to shoot a Sunday 66 and finish at T23 with only 17 golfers finishing ahead of him. PLAYERS Sunday was off to a good start after the 7am Church Service and a nice walk in the Stadium Park! (Andy Reistetter, Facebook Post with 30 Pics, Sunday 5-13-18)
