Webb Simpson made a name for himself Sunday. Despite finishing second on the PGA Tour money list in 2011 and holding a top 10 spot in the rankings for much of 2012, Simpson had been a relative unknown to the average golf fan. That changed on Father's Day when the soft-spoken North Carolinian claimed one of golf's biggest prizes at the U.S. Open.
Simpson was not the only man who spread his wings on Sunday. Literally.
A man, wearing a red and blue jacket and a ski hat patterned like the British flag, video-bombed the champion's trophy reception and interview with Bob Costas. The man calmly screeched bird calls for a few seconds before USGA executive director Mike Davis yanked him away.
But the damage was all ready done.
Or should we say, he may have stopped the damage from being done.
It turns out the U.S. Open squawker is a deforestation activist who goes by the name "Jungle Bird." His Facebook page describes a fictional character in "The trees and skies" who joined the site on Sept. 20, 2011. In Jungle Bird's "About" section, he wrote, "I am an activist dedicated to raising awareness of deforestation... :-)." He is also affiliated with "Trees" and under his awards, he listed "Don't ruffle my feathers ;-)."
For those interested in Jungle Bird's cause, he lists the following as his five tips to stop deforestation:
1. Don't chop down trees.
2. Read digital books.
3. Insist on paper and wood from FSC approved sources.
4. Share books.
5. Plant trees.
Jungle Bird also has a YouTube channel that lists him as a 40-year-old from the United Kingdom. The YouTube page contains 11 videos of Jungle Bird making his now infamous bird call from various locations including a bar, a wine tasting, a jazz festival and beer festival. In one video, titled "Jungle Bird does Sunday night football," a woman near the camera refers to him as "Stanley."
In the past half year, Jungle Bird has stepped up his game. On Dec. 4, he uploaded a video of his bird call in front of a motorcade for Queen Elizabeth II. On Monday morning, he added the U.S. Open video to his repertoire.
Yes, Webb Simpson gained a lot of publicity Sunday. But as Jungle Bird's social media followers grow, it will be interesting to see who benefits more from their respective U.S. Open performance.
-- Photo Credit: Getty Images
