Webb Simpson celebrates after putting for birdie on the first playoff hole to win the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open. (Steven Ryan/Getty Images)

By Christopher Power
For the second time in four years, Webb Simpson found himself in a playoff at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Super Bowl Sunday. In 2017, he lost on the fourth playoff hole to Hideki Matsuyama, as the duo battled right up until kickoff. This time, Simpson ended it early, allowing America to catch the national anthem.

Trailing by two shots on the 17th tee, things didn’t look good for Simpson. But he finished birdie-birdie, stunning Tony Finau and forcing sudden death. On the first playoff hole, Simpson holed another birdie, at the par-4 18th, denying Finau an elusive second career win.

“It was a lot today. Tony is a great champion, he played awesome, he’s going to win a lot of golf tournaments,” said Simpson, who shot a final-round 69 to get to 17-under 277. “To come down to the last holes and birdie 18 twice, it feels great.”

The win is the sixth of Simpson’s career, his last coming at the 2018 Players Championship.