The 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open has come to an exciting end with thousands of golf fans once again pushing off the Super Bowl to see who would be crowned The People’s Open Champion. After finishing in second place to 2017 champion Hideki Matsuyama in a four-hole playoff, Webb Simpson now finds himself in the TPC Scottsdale winner’s circle after yet another thrilling sudden-death playoff against perennial contender Tony Finau. Simpson, who won the 2012 U.S. Open, now has six wins on the PGA TOUR, with his most victory coming at the 2018 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Simpson started Sunday’s round in the final group at 15-under par just one shot back of the leader, Tony Finau. A birdie on four allowed Simpson to take a share of the lead before it was quickly erased by a bogey on seven. Finau had birdies on 12 and 13 to take a two-stroke lead going into the TPC Scottsdale “Stadium Stretch” but couldn’t convert birdie putts on any of the final five holes. Simpson’s birdies on 17 and 18 forced a playoff with Finau who found the bunker off the tee on the first playoff hole, where Simpson made three-straight birdie putts (17, 18 and first playoff hole) to win his first PGA TOUR title in two years.
“I knew after Thursday I was going to have to put together a few good rounds and I was able to do that, Friday and Saturday,” said Simpson. “Today was a lot different. Today played tougher. And thankfully, I birdied the last two to have a chance and then repeated in the playoff. So, it feels great. It’s been a year and a half since THE PLAYERS, which is a long time, but it feels great.”
