American Webb Simpson was the improbable winner of the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston after things slipped away from Luke Donald for the second year in a row. After accuse to the turn in 30 to lead the second of the FedEx Cup play-off events by one shot with seven holes to play, England's world number one double-bogeyed the 12th and dropped another caress on the short 16th.
Even with a closing birdie he was left in joint third place while Simpson beat national Chez Reavie at the second hole of a play-off. Simpson trial by two on the tee at the par five last, but made a 25-footer and then saw Reavie, only 169th in the world, run up a bogey six to join him on the 15 under mark of 269.Both started the sudden death with birdie fours and Simpson go after his 15-foot putt there with an eight-footer for one more birdie on the next to take the title.
It was the previous Walker Cup player's second victory of the period and he said: I told somebody that charming for a second time might be easier, but it was tough.At least Donald's hopes of the $10million (£6.2million) FedEx Cup jackpot are still alive. Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell were knocked out at the middle stage of the series.
Harrington was nowhere near making it into the top 70 who go forward to the third leg in Chicago in a fortnight after a closing 75 that did not contain a single birdie. McDowell, meanwhile, paid a huge price for bogeying the 17th and absent a six-foot birdie putt on the last for a 71.
Donald was two behind Bubba Watson at the start of the day, but with the left-hander having a shocker he and playing partner Simpson fed off each other. Both eagled the seventh after three earlier birdies and when they birdied the ninth they were both out in 30.
Simpson then bogeyed the 10th, took over top spot when Donald double-bogeyed, but was overtaken himself by Reavie. A closing 25-foot birdie putt brings him only one behind and he was virtually submissive to being runner-up until Reavie messed up the 18th.