HONOLULU – Former PGA Tour veteran and U.S. Open champion Scott Simpson has been named the University of Hawai'i's new head men's golf coach, Athletics Director David Matlin announced.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome and introduce Scott Simpson as the head coach of our men's golf program," Matlin said. "With more than 40 years of professional golf experience, we couldn't ask for more while searching for a new coach. We didn't have to look far either, as Scott has helped our women's team achieve tremendous individual success. Scott shares our goals and believes we can field a successful and high quality men's golf program. The future is bright for our Rainbow Warriors!" 
 
Most recently, Simpson served as UH women's golf assistant coach for the past two seasons helping the Rainbow Wahine post five Top 5 team finishes in a pair of pandemic-shortened seasons.
 
"I'd like to thank David Matlin for giving me the opportunity to lead this program," Simpson said. "We share a vision for going forward and I'm so excited to join the UH Athletics 'ohana. My goal is to help our men golfers learn, improve and grow in the classroom and on the course. We will work, prepare and compete hard while having a lot of fun. Go Rainbow Warriors!"
 
In his professional career, Simpson won seven times in a 27-year PGA Tour career, including the 1987 U.S. Open. He also recorded 15 runner-up finishes on tour and nine Top 10s in major tournaments. Among his other professional wins include three times on the Japan Tour and four Hawai'i State Opens including back-to-back in 1993 and '94.
 
Simpson joined the PGA Champions Tour in 2005 and won the 2006 Walmart First Tee Open. 
 
The San Diego, Calif., native moved to Hawai'i full-time in 2014. Upon his return, he was the head golf coach at Le Jardin Academy high school for two years and was involved with the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association and the First Tee Hawai'i program. Simpson has also taught private lessons at Mid-Pacific Country Club and Hoakalei Country Club.
 
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Simpson was a two-time NCAA Championship medalist in 1976 and '77 and won the Fred Haskins Award as the Collegiate Player of the Year in 1977.  He was also a member of the United States Walker Cup team in 1977, the Ryder Cup in 1987, and the Kirin Cup in 1987.
 
Simpson is the program's eighth head coach since turning Division I.