Spring in his step: Simpson can push on from Shriners win, says Denis
Denis Pugh says Webb Simpson's triumph at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open was welcome if not vital.
Simpson, 28, strolled to victory in Las Vegas on Sunday evening to earn his first win since lifting the US Open title at Olympic Club in 2012.
"Simpson won this tournament without playing 100 per cent as his driving wasn't great."
Andrew Coltart
The American finished on 24-under-par at TPC at Summerlin, six strokes clear of countryman Jason Bohn and Japanese starlet Ryo Ishikawa, to prevail in the second event of the 2013/14 PGA Tour.
And Sky Sports pundit Pugh reckons Simpson - who will be aiming to make his second Ryder Cup appearance at Glenegales next September - can take plenty of positives from his success.
"This is not as big a deal for Webb as it was for Jimmy Walker at last week's Frys.com Open [Walker's maiden victory on the PGA Tour] because he has been in and won big events," said Pugh.
"But it puts his name second in the FedEx Cup standings so he will feel very good about that and this is another step in Webb's journey."
Lovely
Pugh's fellow analyst Andrew Coltart believes Simpson's strong mentality was key in him returning to the winners' enclosure, but the Scot was also impressed by Chesson Hadley, who claimed a share of fifth place in Vegas.
Hadley, 26, claimed the Web.com Tour Championship in 2013 en route to earning full playing rights on the PGA Tour and Coltart - a two-time winner on the European Tour - thinks the North Carolina-born star has a bright future.
"He won this tournament without playing 100 per cent as his driving wasn't great, but he played some lovely iron shots and kept his focus and composure," Coltart said of Simpson.
"Hadley, meanwhile, has got some big levers and a wide arc.
"He found out a lot about himself over the week and it was a great opportunity for him to play with the eventual winner [Simpson] so that will stand him in good stead."
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