PGA Tour
Webb Simpson withdraws from home-game Wells Fargo Championship with neck injury
Sam Greenwood
CHARLOTTE — It's never fun having to withdraw from an event on Thursday morning. It's especially disappointing when that event is taking place on your home course.
Quail Hollow member and resident Webb Simpson—he lives next to the seventh tee—withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship on Thursday morning with a neck strain. First alternate Tim Wilkinson took Simpson's spot in the field, and his place in the featured group alongside Justin Thomas and Max Homa.
"I am super disappointed to have to withdraw from the Wells Fargo Championship," Simpson told Golf Channel. "I have a minor neck strain which made it too difficult to swing this morning. I am optimistic for a speedy recovery in hopes of playing in the PGA Championship.
"Thank you for all the well wishes! I will definitely miss playing this weekend at home."
Simpson, ranked ninth in the World Rankings, has five top-10 finishes in 13 events on the PGA Tour this season—including in his last start, a T-9 at the RBC Heritage. He is a North Carolina lifer, growing up in Raleigh and attending Wake Forest for college before settling with his family in Charlotte.
Simpson spoke with the media on Tuesday and did not mention the injury. He has just two top-10 finishes in 10 starts at Quail Hollow, with his best finish a T-2 in 2015.