Photo by Marc Feldman/Getty Images

Webb Simpson is a rookie to watch

Monday, January 12, 2009 10:31 pm (Eastern)

Wake Forest product starts his season at Hawaii this week

Webb Simpson is a rookie who could make an impact on the PGA Tour this year. First, because his amateur record is impressive. Second, because he has his sights set high for immediate success.

Simpson told John Dell of the Winston-Salem Journal that his goals for his first season are winning Rookie of the Year, making the field for the Tour Championship, and winning a tournament.

Simpson has reason for optimism. The Raleigh, North Carolina, native wrapped up an oustanding career for Wake Forest last year, earning All-America honors in all four years including first-team as a senior. He also was on the victorious 2007 U.S. Walker Cup team.

Last year, he got an invitation from fellow Wake Forest alum Arnold Palmer to the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and tied for 31st as an amateur. After finishing at Wake Forest, he made two cuts in five tries on the PGA Tour as a pro, and had a pair of runner-up finishes in eight starts on the Nationwide Tour, including a playoff loss.

After tying for seventh at Q-School, he is making his debut as a PGA Tour member this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Simpson says he will lean heavily on fellow Wake Forest product Bill Haas for advice on courses and handling Tour travel. Haas graduated the year before Simpson started, but the two have struck up a friendship.

We'll see if Simpson can outshine Haas, whose PGA Tour career so far has been a bit of a disappointment.

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