View source for Tim Simpson

{{short description|American professional golfer (born 1956)}}
{{for|the American football player|Tim Simpson (American football)}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name              = Tim Simpson
| image             = 
| imagesize         = <!-- e.g. 250px (default is 200px) -->
| caption           = 
| fullname          = Timothy Jay Simpson
| nickname          = 
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1956|5|6}}
| birth_place       = [[Atlanta, Georgia]]
| death_date        = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD| 1956|5|6}}} -->
| death_place       = 
| height            = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}
| weight            = {{convert|210|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
| nationality       = {{USA}}
| residence         = [[Greensboro, Georgia]]
| spouse            = 
| partner           = 
| children          = 
| college           = [[University of Georgia]]
| yearpro           = 1977
| retired           = <!-- Year retired -->
| tour              = 
| extour            = [[PGA Tour]]<br>[[Tarheel Tour]]<br>[[Champions Tour]]
| prowins           = 10
| pgawins           = 4
| champwins         = <!-- Number of Champions Tour wins -->
| seneurowins       = <!-- Number of European Seniors Tour wins -->
| otherwins         = 6
| majorwins         = <!-- Number of Major Championship wins -->
| masters           = T18: 1985
| usopen            = T5: [[1990 U.S. Open (golf)|1990]]
| open              = T12: 1990
| pga               = T8: [[1990 PGA Championship|1990]]
| wghofid           = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame member ID -->
| wghofyear         = <!-- World Golf Hall of Fame year inducted -->
| award1            = [[Champions Tour Comeback Player of the Year|Champions Tour<br>Comeback Player of the Year]]
| year1             = [[2006 Champions Tour|2006]]
| award2            = 
| year2             = 
| awardssection     = <!-- location of awards page or section -->
}}
'''Timothy Jay Simpson''' (born May 6, 1956) is an American [[professional golfer]]. He played on the [[PGA Tour]] and the [[Nationwide Tour]] and currently plays on the [[Champions Tour]].

== Early life and amateur career ==
Simpson was born and raised in [[Atlanta, Georgia]]. He attended high school at [[Woodward Academy]] where he was the Atlanta Junior Champion, Georgia Junior Champion and Westlake National Junior Champion.<ref name="gghf">{{cite web | title=Bio from Georgia Golf Hall of Fame| url=http://www.gghof.org/index.php/members/detail/tim_simpson | accessdate=December 20, 2015}}</ref> 

Simpson attended the [[University of Georgia]] in [[Athens, Georgia]], and was a member of the [[golf]] team.

== Professional career ==
In 1977, Simpson left college early and turned professional at the age 20. He earned his tour card at 21 years, 2 months.<ref name="gghf" /> Simpson's first win in professional golf came at the 1981 [[Cacharel World Under-25 Championship]] in [[Nimes, France]]. His first PGA Tour win came three seasons later at the 1985 [[Southern Open]]. His career year was 1989 when he captured the PGA Tour's ''Comeback Player of the Year'' award, and won two Tour events: the [[USF&G Classic]] and the [[Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic]]. He had another good year in 1990: repeating as Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic Champion, and posting his best finishes in the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]], [[The Open Championship|British Open]] and [[PGA Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Golf Major Championships|url=http://golfmajorchampionships.com/players?player=665}}</ref> He has 66 Top-10 finishes in PGA Tour events.

Simpson's PGA Tour career was brought to a sudden end due to his contracting [[Lyme disease]] on a hunting trip in 1991, and the neurological pathological condition resulting from it. He has had brain surgery and spinal fusion surgery. In his late thirties and forties, his health improved enough to allow him to play some on the [[Nationwide Tour]]. His best finishes in this venue were a 2nd at the 1995 NIKE Buffalo Open and a T-2 at the 1995 NIKE South Carolina Classic.

During his career Simpson was called one of the greatest ball strikers in the game's history by golfing greats [[Butch Harmon]], [[Jack Nicklaus]], and [[Johnny Miller]].<ref name="gghf"/> Early in his career, he was mentored by long-time friends, [[Sam Snead]] and [[J. C. Snead]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Bio on PGA Tour's official site | url=http://www.pgatour.com/players/00/21/00 | accessdate=7 August 2006 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315050406/http://www.pgatour.com/players/00/21/00/ | archivedate=15 March 2007 }}</ref>

Simpspn began play on the [[Champions Tour]] in 2006.

== Personal life ==
Simpson lives in [[Greensboro, Georgia]].

== Awards and honors ==

* In 1989, he won the PGA Tour's Comeback Player of the Year.
* In 1990, Simpson was awarded the Georgia Professional Athlete of the Year award.
* In 2004, Simpson was inducted into the [[Georgia Sports Hall of Fame]] 
* In 2006, Simpson was inducted into the [[Georgia Golf Hall of Fame's Botanical Garden|Georgia Golf Hall of Fame]]

==Amateur wins==
*1975 Palmetto Invitational College Tournament
*1976 [[Southern Amateur]]

==Professional wins (10)==
===PGA Tour wins (4)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Oct 6, [[1985 PGA Tour|1985]]
|[[Southern Open]]
|−16 (64-64-69-67=264)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Clarence Rose]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|Mar 26, [[1989 PGA Tour|1989]]
|[[USF&G Classic]]
|−14 (68-67-70-69=274)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Greg Norman]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Hal Sutton]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|Oct 21, 1989
|[[Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic]]
|−16 (65-67-70-70=272)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Donnie Hammond]]
|-
|align=center|4
|align=right|Oct 20, [[1990 PGA Tour|1990]]
|[[Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic]] (2)
|−24 (64-64-65-71=264)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[John Mahaffey]]
|}

'''PGA Tour playoff record (0–2)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponents!!Result
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1
|[[1989 PGA Tour|1989]]
|[[Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Donald]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Hal Sutton]]
|Donald won with birdie on fourth extra hole<br>Sutton eliminated by par on third hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|2
|[[1990 PGA Tour|1990]]
|[[Doral-Ryder Open]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Paul Azinger]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mark Calcavecchia]],<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Greg Norman]]
|Norman won with eagle on first extra hole
|}

===Tarheel Tour wins (1)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Apr 14, [[2006 Tarheel Tour|2006]]
|Olde Sycamore Open
|−13 (69-67-67=203)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Brent Delahoussaye]]
|}

===Other wins (5)===
*1980 [[Georgia Open]] (tie with [[Bob Tway]])
*1981 [[Georgia Open]], [[Cacharel World Under-25 Championship]]
*1984 [[Georgia Open]]
*1987 [[Georgia Open]]

==Results in major championships==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!1978
!1979
!1980
!1981
!1982
!1983
!1984
!1985
!1986
!1987
!1988
!1989
!1990
!1991
!1992
!1993
!1994
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T18
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|CUT
|CUT
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|CUT
|CUT
|T37
|T43
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T32
|T11
|T46
|CUT
|T14
|CUT
|CUT
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|T26
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T45
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T12
|T57
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|T36
|T25
|CUT
|CUT
|T43
|CUT
|T27
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|}
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
CUT = missed the half-way cut<br>
"T" = tied

===Summary===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]         || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 ||  6 || 1
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 3 || 14 || 8
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]      || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 ||  3 || 3
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]           || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 11 || 5
|-
!Totals                                    !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 1 !! 2 !! 7 !! 34 !! 17
|}
*Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (1983 U.S. Open – 1985 U.S. Open)
*Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)

==U.S. national team appearances==
*[[Four Tours World Championship]]: 1990

==Filmography==

===Television===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|2022
|[[Stranger Things]]
|Golfer on tv
|1 episode
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[Spring 1977 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates]]
*[[1993 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates]]
*[[1996 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{PGATour player|02100}}
*{{OWGR|190}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Tim}}
[[Category:American male golfers]]
[[Category:Georgia Bulldogs men's golfers]]
[[Category:PGA Tour golfers]]
[[Category:PGA Tour Champions golfers]]
[[Category:Golfers from Atlanta]]
[[Category:Woodward Academy alumni]]
[[Category:People from Greensboro, Georgia]]
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]