WGC Bridgestone Invitational Preview

• Tweet
• Pin It

This week the PGA tour has yet another two for one, the World Golf Championships and then the Renoe Tahoe Open.  Firestone Country Club play host to this weeks World Golf Championship.  Firestone, know worldwide as one of the best golf courses, has the honor of hosting this world class event for the seventh time.  Located in Akron, Ohio this 54-hole private country club is a favorite of Tiger Woods, as he has won on the south course 5 times in 7 years. 

Firestone has been lengthened for the 3^rd time in 3 years. This Par 70, 7455 yard layout will test the best players in the world, on one of the longest par 70’s in the world.  The already difficult 9^th hole, infamous for the Tiger shot on the roof last year, has been augmented as well as the 18^th hole. This is one of the favorite courses for the tour players and there is good reason as Woods points out, “It’s a golf course that could host a major if they ever wanted to. I think it’s one of the neat courses we play all year and it gets like a major championship feel to it." High praises from the world’s number one.

Woods is definitely the man to beat this week, despite being off form since the birth of his daughter.  In World golf championships he has 13 victories and 22 top-ten performances.  At Firestone he in his career he is 72 under par. Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy, winner of last year’s U.S. Open, on Wood’s dominance at this event, "This is his benefit tournament. He seems to win here every year he comes."  So keep an eye on Tiger to regain his form at a golf course that he is obviously quite comfortable with.  

Other players to look out for this week are recent Canadian Open winner Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, and Paul Casey.  These players are all playing quite well right now, with Mahan being arguably the hottest player on tour. Another interesting story will be the return of Sergio Garcia, his first event since just missing out on the Open Championship.  Could be an interesting storyline whether he plays well or plays poorly.  Also returning for the first time since his Open Championship victory is Padraig Harrington.  There is a tremendous amount of talent in this week’s field, including 12 first time world championship players of which Mahan leads that group.  It will be interesting to see if one of the hot players on tour can unseat Tiger from the thrown of champion, this week at Firestone.

The 84 player field will be competing for an 8 million dollar purse, which is the largest purse on the PGA Tour.      

Television Schedule

•      Thurs. 8/2        2-6 p.m.           Golf Channel
•       Fri.      8/3         2-6 p.m.           Golf Channel
•      Sat. 8/4            1-6 p.m.            CBS
•      Sun. 8/5           1-6 p.m.            CBS