The Loop

Cheat Sheet: The return of Webb and the continued mystery of Rory McIlroy

October 18, 2013

Back in the lead

Webb Simpson's 2013 season can be described perfectly in two words: not bad. He made the Presidents Cup team, but as a last-minute captain's pick after falling from the automatic spots in the final event. He made 21 of 25 cuts in 2013 and finished in the top-25 in 15 of those events, but he still finished without a win. Simpson jumped to a four stroke lead at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open after a Friday 63 and looks a notch above "not bad". If he finishes the tournament like he started it, he'll be able to say the same thing about his 2013-14 season, too.

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After two rounds at the Kolon Korea Open, World No. 6 Rory McIlroy is two shots back. Let's put this in perspective: he's the highest ranked player in by far, and the only one inside the top 50. It's not unfair to say that Rory should be torching this field. Instead, two strokes is the closest he's been to the lead at any point. Rory's slump is not over, on the contrary; this tournament might instead be the point where it reached a new low.

__Michelle Wie is playing well?!__Yup. Through two rounds at the Hanabank Championship, she's T-6 and just two strokes off the lead. It's nice to see her play well again...perhaps it's that live squid she ate.