Webb Simpson jumps into the top 10 with victory at THE PLAYERS

For a limited time, fans who purchase a Weekly Grounds ticket will be entered to win a Justin Thomas autographed photo

ATLANTA – Webb Simpson earned his fifth PGA TOUR victory in what was a record-setting weekend at THE PLAYERS in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Simpson took a seven-stroke lead into the final round at TPC Sawgrass and shot a final-round 73, which was enough to hold off Jimmy Walker, Charl Schwartzel and defending TOUR Championship winner Xander Schauffele by four strokes.

With his win, Simpson earned 600 FedExCup points to jump from No. 36 to No. 8 in the FedExCup standings, his highest position since the 2014 Valspar Championship (7th). Prior to his dominant performance at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course as TPC Sawgrass, Simpson, the winner of the 2012 U.S. Open, had not won on TOUR since the 2013 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Simpson will look to improve upon his career-best, second-place finish in the FedExCup standings, which he achieved in 2011 thanks in part to his victory at the Dell Technologies Championship, the second FedExCup Playoffs event. Simpson has qualified for the TOUR Championship on five previous occasions and returned to Atlanta in 2017 after missing out in both 2015 and 2016. His best finish at East Lake is a tie for fourth in 2013.

In the FedExCup era (2007-present), THE PLAYERS champion has qualified for the TOUR Championship nine out of 11 years (Henrik Stenson was a non-member in 2009). No player has ever won THE PLAYERS and TOUR Championship in the same season.

Defending TOUR Championship winner Schauffele finished T2 in his first PLAYERS appearance for his best performance of the season and sits No. 31 in the FedExCup standings. Since 2007,only three TOUR Championship winners have made it to East Lake the following season (2009/Phil Mickelson, 2012/Brandt Snedeker, 2015/Jordan Spieth).

2017 FedExCup champion and PGA TOUR Player of the Year Justin Thomas has maintained his No. 1 spot in the FedExCup standings for the past 12 weeks, thanks to five top-10 finishes in 10 starts this season, including two wins at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES and The Honda Classic. It was a historic week for Thomas, who finished T11 at THE PLAYERS to ascend to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career.

In celebration of Thomas’ accomplishment, the TOUR Championship has announced that for a limited time, fans can purchase a Weekly Grounds ticket to the 2018 TOUR Championship for the chance to win a Justin Thomas autographed photo. Tickets start at $150 and are available at TOURChampionship.com/tickets. Offer is valid from Monday, May 14 – Sunday, May 22.

With the 2017-18 PGA TOUR Season past the halfway point, here’s a look at the current top 20 in the FedExCup standings.