Broughton grad makes PGA pro debut

Webb Simpson's first round as a professional golfer is in the books, and the Raleigh native walked off the TPC Southwind course today in Memphis, Tenn., with a respectable 1-over-par 71 for the first round of the PGA Tour's Stanford St. Jude Championship. That put him in the top half of the 156-man field, with many players still on the course. Boo Weekley, who shot a 65, was atop the leaderboard.

Simpson, who starred at Broughton High School and Wake Forest, got one of eight sponsor's exemptions to get into the St. Jude field. He played with two touring pros, Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey of "Big Break" fame on The Golf Channel and Nationwide Tour veteran Scott Sterling. Gainey struggled with a 10-over 80, while Sterling was at even-par 70.

The summer plan for Simpson is to try to get the maximum number of sponsor's exemptions allowed in a year — seven — and make enough money to avoid having to qualify for full-time PGA Tour status in the notoriously difficult Q school competition, says his instructor, Ted Kiegiel, the head pro at Carolina Country Club. Simpson played as an amateur in March in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which counted as his first exemption, so this week's tournament makes two.

To avoid Q school, Kiegiel says, Simpson has to make at least as much as the man who finished 125th on the money list in 2007 — Mathias Gronberg with $785,180.

"It's not a very easy task, but he has the talent to do it," Kiegiel says, adding that he felt Simpson was definitely ready emotionally and physically to play on tour.

"All the parts of his game are working well now. He's hitting the ball well off the tee, his irons have been good ... and his putting has just continued to get better and better," Kiegiel says of Simpson, this year's ACC champion and the No. 1-ranked men's amateur in the world, according to Golfweek magazine.

"He's working on getting comfortable now, playing at that skill level and adjusting to the lifestyle. He's just got to get into the rhythm of being a professional player."

The Golf Channel will televise coverage of the second round Friday at 3:30 p.m. WRAL will provide coverage Saturday and Sunday.