Simpson Playing for Caddie & His Family


Webb Simpson is playing this week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions with a heavy heart. His longtime caddie and good friend, Paul Tesori, isn't in Hawaii to help Simpson as he's back home in Florida with his wife and their ailing newborn baby.

Born on Saturday, Isaiah, the new son of Paul and Michelle Tesori, has been in intensive care at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville after suffering from a seizure shortly after birth. The seizure was due to an infection in his brain.

Simpson considered heading home to be with his friend to provide support, but decided to stay in Hawaii. So far so good for the 2012 U.S. Open champion, who is tied for 54-hole lead with Jordan Spieth and defending champion Dustin Johnson as the 30-player field enters the final round Monday at the Plantation Course at Kapalua on Maui.

Before firing a 5-under 68 in the third round to rise to the top of the leaderboard, Simpson received a text from Tesori that provided motivation. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," said Simpson, who's being helped on the bag this week by Bubba Watson's caddie, Ted Scott, one of Tesori's closest friends. In Sunday's third round Scott wore "Isaiah" on his cap.

"And that's what Teddy and I did. I felt like we were out there playing for Isaiah," added Simpson. "Paul needs something to watch there in the hospital. It's been a long few days, so hopefully, we gave him something good to see on TV. But it was tough. I was thinking about him a lot out there."

The Tesoris have received many encouraging words from friends and golfers the past few days. On their website, www.tesorifamilyfoundation.org, the couple posted the following statement:

"We are so blessed for all the support and prayers from our families, Webb & Dowd, Teddy (Scott), our friends and the entire golf community. In the mere 36 hours he has been with us, our perfect little boy, Isaiah, has not only touched our hearts, he has touched thousands of lives. We continue to ask for prayers for baby Isaiah's brain, heart and body as we await many test results over the coming weeks as well as prayers for the nurses and doctors tasked with loving and caring for him.

"Regardless of the results, Jeremiah 1:5 assures us this is all part of God's perfect plan, and we will embrace whatever lies ahead for our family."