Webb Simpson drops 71-foot eagle putt on final hole to grab solo lead at TPC Boston

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Webb Simpson’s improvement with the putter has been a huge reason for what’s been somewhat of a comeback season for him 2018, one that’s included a Players Championship victory, seven top-10s and a automatic berth on the US Ryder Cup team. He’s been brilliant with club again this week at Dell Technologies Championship, where he ranks second in strokes-gained: putting through two rounds.

His best stroke with the flatstick was his last of the round this morning, Australian time, a 71-foot eagle conversion that not even he expected to make even with how well he was rolling it. The lengthy conversion from off the 18th green gave Simpson a a bogey-free eight-under 63, and a one-stroke lead at 11-under 131 at TPC Boston.

“I was excited, and you just kind of laugh at those,” Simpson said of the eagle putt. “Because you’re not trying to make them, you’re just trying to get them close. Those moments are always fun on the last hole. Honestly, it brings back the 2011, making a couple of putts when I won. Just a great atmosphere out there.”

The eagle capped off a back-nine 31 for Simpson, leaping him over a pair of Englishman he’ll be seeing at the Ryder Cup in France later this month. Justin Rose backed up his first-round 65 with a four-under 67, while Tyrrell Hatton matched Simpson’s 63 with a putter he purchased from Golf Galaxy last week in New Jersey during the Northern Trust. They are just one behind at 10-under 132.

Two behind them is fellow countryman Tommy Fleetwood, who fired a six-under 65 to get to eight-under 134. Even though he seems to live at the top of the leader board, Fleetwood is still in search of his first US PGA Tour victory.

Australia’s Cameron Smith and Mexican Abraham Ancer are tied for fifth at seven-under 135.

Tiger Woods, who struggled on Friday, bounced back with a bogey-free five-under 66 to get to four-under 138, six off the lead. He’s now posted two rounds without a bogey in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, something he hadn’t done since 2015 on the US Tour. Woods is tied for 20th with Rory McIlroy (67), Bryson DeChambeau (68) and Brooks Koepka (69).