WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, Va. – We are just two weekends before the Open Championship at Carnoustie in Scotland, which makes Greenbrier scheduling difficult for the tour pros. But the 2018 field sports eight top-50 players, including two of the hottest golfers on tour.
"Paul and I put together a list of about seven courses that no matter what we should never miss those golf tournaments, and this is one of those. This is one of those courses where I feel like I don't have to do anything extraordinary to have a good, solid week, and I have a chance on Sunday, where other golf courses I feel like I have to do something extraordinary, " 2018 Players champion Webb Simpson said.
The former U.S. Open champ is the 2018 Players champion, and is ranked 21 in the world, while Greenbrier Sporting Club member Bubba Watson is the first golfer with three wins on the PGA tour this year. He's ranked No. 13 in the world.
"It would be a huge accomplishment to win here in front of my home crowd, you know what a what a dream that would be. My dad was in the military, so now the name of the tournament - it's just one of those things that would mean a lot to my family and just to honor my late dad, just be a cool thing. There's so many storylines it would be cool for me to do it," two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson said.
Five-time major champ Phil Mickelson and 2016 PGA champ Jimmy Walker were late but welcomed adds to the tournament last week, and with all seven Greenbrier champions in the field, it's stacking up to be a competitive week in White Sulphur Springs.
The pro-am action is set for Wednesday, with the tournament beginning Thursday on the Old White TPC course.