Getting paid to go on a date may not be the most romantic notion, but it is how things started for Webb Simpson and his wife, Dowd Keith Simpson. After running into Webb’s father, Sam Simpson, at a party at Wake Forest University, Sam Simpson offered Dowd $100 to go on a date with his son. The couple did not meet that night, but finally crossed paths a few months later. Wake Forest Magazine detailed how the couple officially met.
Dowd and Webb never met that night, but a couple of months later Webb thought he had spotted this mystery girl at a party (based on descriptions from his father, he was on the lookout). Sure enough, it was Dowd. Their relationship started out as bantering in the dorm room with friends, then progressed to dating as a full-fledged couple. And yes, says Dowd, Webb’s father paid up the $100. The young couple used it for a steak dinner at Ryan’s, their favorite restaurant.
The couple started dating, but it was not happily ever after. At the end of their time at Wake Forest, they broke up, and did not speak for year. The couple later reconnected, and got married a few months later. They are now the proud parents of four children.
Here’s what you need to know about Webb Simpson’s wife Dowd Simpson:
1. The Couple Met in College at Wake Forest & Didn’t Speak for a Year After Breaking Up, BEfore Reconnecting
GettyWebb and Dowd Simpson met in college at Wake Forest.
The couple dated for the majority of their college years at Wake Forest. Like any couple, Webb and Dowd Simpson have had adversity to overcome. In an interview with Golf.com, Dowd Simpson noted the couple broke up, and did not speak for an entire year. They eventually began dating again, and were married just a few months later.
“Webb and I dated all through college at Wake Forest, then broke up for a year after college, which was a healthy thing for us,” Dowd Simpson told Golf.com. “We didn’t even talk [during that time]. Then we got back together, and five months later we were engaged, and five months later, we were married.”
When the couple reconnected after Wake Forest, Dowd Simpson admitted she met a different man than the one she knew in college.
“The first date we had, I thought to myself, ‘I’m falling right back in love with the man I fell in love with my sophomore year,’” Dowd Simpson told Wake Forest Magazine. “I knew that I had met the man I wanted to grow old with.”
2. Webb Simpson’s Father, Sam Simpson, Paid Dowd $100 to Go on a Date With His Son
Birthday dinner w my favorite person at my favorite Wilmington restaurant. Check out @portlandgrille if in the area
Webb Simpson has his late father to thank for introducing him to both golf and his wife. His father, Sam Simpson, ran into Dowd at a party at Wake Forest, and offered her a $100 if she would go on a date with his son. Golf Digest detailed the arrangement.
Actually it was Sam who met Dowd first at a party. Upon hearing that Dowd was a sophomore at Wake, Sam offered $100 if she would go on a date with Webb, an incoming freshman. ‘If he’s as cute as you, I’ll go for free,’ was her response. Introduced by a mutual friend, they went out for the first time after Christmas in Webb’s freshman year in 2004. Sam paid for it with that $100. ‘How sweet and special it is,’ Webb said, ‘that my father picked out my wife.’
According to Golf Digest, Sam Simpson died on November 26, 2017 after battling Lewy Body Dementia.
3. The Couple Has 4 Children: Mercy, James, Willow & Wyndham
Dowd and Webb Simpson have their hands full with three daughters and a son. The couple welcomed their youngest daughter, Mercy, on May 12, 2016.
Proud to announce that @dowdsimpson & I are now parents to a foursome. Meet Mercy Dowd Simpson. 6lbs 12oz, 19 3/4 in
Golf has even had an influence on what the couple named their children. According to Golf Channel, their daughter Wyndham was named after the Wyndham Championship. Dowd explained to Golf Channel how the couple came up with the name, noting they quickly eliminated Augusta after a poor showing.
“We were sitting outside Augusta National, and [family friend] Bobby came over and we were talking baby names,” Dowd told Golf Channel. “We thought, ‘Oh, if you win the Masters, then we’ll name the child Augusta.’ Then we missed the cut, so Augusta was quickly crossed off the list. Then Bobby said, ‘Why not Wyndham?’ And Webb and I both went, ‘I love that name.'”
4. Dowd Simpson Was a Theatre Major & Is an Avid Wig Collector
GettyDowd Simpson majored in Theatre at Wake Forest.
Dowd Simpson was a theater major at Wake Forest, and pursued acting after graduation. According to Wake Forest Magazine, she spent time in Los Angeles and Atlanta pursuing an acting career before she reconnected with Webb Simpson.
Dowd Simpson detailed her wig collection in an interview with Charlotte Magazine. While she uses some to entertain their children, she also owns more elegant wigs that she wears out in public. Charlotte Magazine detailed her collection.
The wigs, she says, are a way to have fun. One is suitable for a rock band, purple on top and fire red on the bottom, ‘and then I have a pink pixie one and a long, black one,’ she continues. And they aren’t just for pranks around the house with their four kids. ‘She wears them out,’ Webb interjects with a grin.
Dowd and Webb Simpson set up their home base in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dowd’s hometown. Webb Simpson grew up in nearby Raleigh, and the couple also got married in Charlotte. The family admits to spending a lot of their life on the road as Webb Simpson travels to different tournaments. She told Golf.com she and the kids attend 25 of the 27 tournaments.
“It’s such a blessing to be able to travel as a family with Webb,” Dowd Simpson explained to Golf.com. “Webb travels maybe 27 weeks out of the year, and the kids and I will go to 25. So those two weeks that we’re not together are actually harder than being on the road with him.”
Dowd Simpson notes Webb Simpson thinks he plays better when she is at the tournament, and he calls his wife a “professional clapper.”
“She’s a professional clapper out on the courses,” Webb told Wake Forest Magazine. “Many greens are elevated and we [players] can’t see the green from the fairway, so Dowd will often let me know how close my ball is to the pin by her clapping.”
5. Dowd & Webb Simpson Are Both Outspoken About Their Christian Faith
GettyWebb and Dowd Simpson have four children.
Webb Simpson studied religion during his time at Wake Forest. While he says he is a Christian, Webb Simpson has always been curious to learn about other faiths.
“That subject [religion] interested me most at the time,” Webb told Wake Forest Magazine. “I’m a Christian, so I thought learning about other religions could only help me firm up my beliefs in Jesus.”
The couple’s faith is something that keeps them grounded, and they try to keep it at the forefront of their lives despite their busy schedule. Wake Forest Magazine detailed their rare quiet nights together.
Their strong religion is another bond (and part of Webb’s wholesome image in the sports world); Dowd says they study the Bible together on rare evenings at home.
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Dowd Simpson, Webb’s Wife: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know