Webb Simpson says par-5s are key to National

Webb Simpson has never played in the Masters Tournament, but he knows one of the key ingredients to scoring at Augusta National Golf Club will be what kind of success he has on the four par-5 holes.

That shouldn’t be a problem for the former Wake Forest golfer, who led the PGA Tour in par-5 scoring last season with a 4.48 average.

“You’ve got to take advantage of them,” Simpson said. “I played a lot there (leading into the Masters) and I love the par-5s. I’m excited about it.”

Simpson said you can’t get too aggressive on the par-5 holes (Nos, 2, 8, 13 and 15) at Augusta National, especially the watery risk/reward ones on the back nine.

“I think what’s equally important is not to make bogeys,” Simpson said. “I think guys can get a little carried away thinking they have to make birdie and end up making a 6. I think it’s important to play them smart, but know you have to capitalize on them.”

The toughest of the par-5s is normally No. 8. It isn’t the longest, but is the only one that is uphill. It had the highest scoring average (4.747) of the par-5s last year.

“I played it well,” Simpson said of the eighth hole during his recent trips. “We weren’t getting any roll. I hit it up there near the green. I think it’s a great hole. If you hit a good drive, you have a chance to hit it up there. It’s not too hard to chip it on and make the putt.”

There is little chance Simpson will get too aggressive and hit shots that might lead to bogeys on the par-5s. His caddie, Paul Tesori, will make sure of that.

Tesori, who is in his second year working with Simpson, has caddied in nine Masters, for players such as Vijay Singh, Sean O’Hair and Jerry Kelly.

“Having him on the bag is going to help,” Simpson said. “We’ve talked a lot about the golf course and how we should approach it. He’s already helped me. We’ll continue to work on that.”

“I feel very comfortable there; I’ve been in contention there quite a few times,” said Tesori, whose best finish is a tie for fifth in 2005 with Singh. ”I’ve seen a lot of different guys play the golf course – short hitters and long hitters.”

Simpson pointed out that a veteran caddie (Col Swatton) helped Jason Day finish in a tie for second last year and break the tournament scoring record for a Mastersrookie.

Tesori says it doesn’t matter how many practice rounds Simpson plays, the feeling won’t be the same once the tournament begins.

“It’s always different when you get there for the first time,” Tesori said. “It’s going to take him a few holes to settle down. I don’t think he quite understands how nervous he’s going to be. If we can get through those first seven holes somewhere around level par and get to No. 8, the par-5, and make a birdie there, things will start getting into a flow.”

Simpson believes he can be the third player in Masters history to win in his first appearance (not counting Horton Smith, who won the inaugural Masters in 1934). The Masters rookies to win are Gene Sarazen in 1935 and Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

“I’m going to try to win,” he said. “I don’t show up anywhere without wanting to win. I’m going to show up, try to learn the course and hopefully get a W.”

Simpson, who is 26, wasn’t totally unfamiliar with playing Augusta National when he made his pre-Masters scouting trips. He played it at ages 12 and 20.

Simpson was able to play it as a youngster thanks to the head pro at his home club, who had previously worked at Augusta National. He remembers the day well.

“That was when the Scotty Cameron twirling putters came out, and I walked in the shop and asked my dad if I could get one,” Simpson said during an interview at Bay Hill. “They were 350 bucks and he said no.

“And to cheer me up, he said, ‘If you break 76 today, I’ll get you the putter.’ So I was 8‑over going into 18, so I’m obviously not going to do it. He tells me if I birdie it, he’ll give me the putter. So I hit driver, 3‑wood to the Sunday pin, about four feet, and I miss. And I was so upset. But he ended up getting the putter for me.”

Simpson isn’t worried about trying to match last year’s breakout year on the PGA Tour. In his third full season on the tour, he had his first two career wins – and a playoff loss in New Orleans to Bubba Watson. That came after Simpson called a one-shot penalty shot on himself on the 15th hole in regulation when his ball moved on a 1-foot putt.

“Nobody saw that ball move,” Tesori said. “There is only one person of the six billion in the world now who saw it move. He’s a man of faith. For him to call that penalty, he didn’t know any other way.”

In addition to his two wins, Simpson was second on the money list (more than $6.3 million), second in scoring average (69.25) and had 12 top-10 finishes.

“I have one goal this year and it’s the exact same as last year starting the year – that I want to improve,” Simpson said. “I look at my stats. A lot of stats got a lot better last year but there’s still areas that need to be improved: chipping, putting, and then driving accuracy, I want to get a little better.

“Even if it gets better by two percent, I just want to move in the right direction and Paul and I are going to continue to work on our fundamentals.”