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PGA TOUR: Notes: Simpson is sixth first-time winner on 2006 Champions

/noticias.info/ Colin Murray
PGA TOUR staff

•Scott Simpson made an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to earn his first Champions Tour victory in his 25th career Champions Tour start. Simpson’s first victory on PGA TOUR came in his 52nd start at the 1980 Western Open. Simpson began the final round two shots behind 36-hole leader Tom Kite but carded a 4-under-par 68 to earn the one-shot victory.

•With his victory at Pebble Beach, Scott Simpson became the sixth first-time winner and 14th different winner on the Champions Tour in 2006.

•Other first-time winners on the Champions Tour in 2006:
Jerry Pate Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am
Brad Bryant Toshiba Classic, Regions Charity Classic
John Harris Commerce Bank Championship
David Edwards 3M Championship
Eduardo Romero JELD-WEN Tradition

•Scott Simpson’s victory earned him 300 Charles Schwab Cup points and moved him into ninth place with 975 points for the year. Loren Roberts T7 earned him 61 points and increased his leading total to 2,478 through 22 events. Jay Haas earned 160 points with his T2 finish and now trails Roberts by only 183 points (2,295). Bobby Wadkins is third with 1,511. Brad Bryant remains fourth with 1,467. Gil Morgan rounds out the top five with 1,433 points.

•Scott Simpson’s victory today coupled with Eduardo Romero’s initial Champions Tour title last week at the JELD-WEN Tradition gave the Champions Tour back-to-back first-time winners since Des Smyth (2005 SBC Classic) and Mark Johnson (2005 Toshiba Senior Classic) last year.

•Scott Simpson’s 54-hole total of 12-under 204 was the highest winning total in the three year history of the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Hale Irwin finished at 13-under 203 last year and Craig Stadler won with a 15-under 201 total in 2004.

•Scott Simpson did not make a bogey in his 36 holes at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Simpson only carded three bogeys for the event.

•Scott Simpson’s Final Round Stats:
Driving Accuracy – 11 of 14
Driving Distance – 259.7
Greens In Regulation – 12 of 18
Total Putts – 26

Scott Simpson’s Overall Tournament Stats:
Driving Accuracy -- 31 of 42/ T33
Driving Distance -- 265.3/ 38
Greens In Regulation -- 36 of 54/ T31
Total Putts -- 26.3/ T1

•Jay Haas finished alone T2 with David Edwards at 11-under-par 205. Haas earned his 3rd consecutive top-10 finish at the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Haas finished T9 last year after finishing 2nd in 2004.

•Massy Kuramoto fired a 7-under 29 on the front nine en route to carding the day’s best round, a 7-under 65, the low round of the tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Kuramoto, a rookie on the Champions Tour, was fourth, his best finish on the Champions Tour. Kuramoto’s 65 tied Mark McNulty (2005) for the lowest final-round score in tournament history.

•Only 8 of 22 players entering the final round with the lead have gone on to win on the Champions Tour in 2006.

•Despite shooting a 1-over 73 in the final round, Tom Kite finished T5, his sixth consecutive top-10 finish and 10th top-10 this year.

•Dana Quigley and 17-year-old Scott Langley (Manchester, MO) won the pro-junior portion of the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach with a better-ball three-day total of 21-under 195.

•The final round scoring average at Pebble Beach was 73.231 compared to 72.818 last year. A total of 10 players broke 70 in the final round today compared to 17 rounds in the 60’s last year on Sunday.

•The hardest hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links in the final round was the par-5 14th, playing .346 strokes over par. Just six birdies were made at the 14th in the final round compared to 24 bogeys. notas_de_prensa_archivo