Can Woods make it seven at Firestone?
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Bridgestone Invitational | Preview | 04 Aug 2009
The World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational is played this week at the iconic Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio with Tiger Woods seeking his seventh win in his last 11 attempts at the South Course. Off the back of his impressive three shot victory last week in Grand Blanc, Woods will be the red hot favourite this week in the US$8 million event.
The event has been played at the Firestone Country Club since 1999 although its forerunner, the Word Series of Golf, was first played in 1976 when Jack Nicklaus took the title. Prior to that, many baby-boomers had their first introduction to the game via the televised the four man Exhibition event, World Series of Golf played between 1962 and 1975 along with other events played for a television audience.
The only occasion an event has not been played in the past 47 years was when changes were being made to the layout and Sahalee Country Club in Washington played host to Craig Parry’s victory.
The original Bert Way layout built in 1929 has undergone several upgrades but is still considered one of the finest tests of golf. The fear factor of Firestone has been reduced by the arrival of modern golf technology, the once lengthy layout now so typical of modern day courses in terms of its overall yardage. It is still, however, an outstanding test of golf.
Most betting agencies have Woods as the hottest of favourites to win over another who has a good record at the venue. Phil Mickelson won the event in 1996 and finished runner up on two other occasions although the greatest concern for Mickelson fans is his capacity to contend, not having played since his runner up finish at the US Open.
Vijay Singh is the defending champion and while he has in the main been disappointing this season there have been signs of late that things are getting a little better. He finished 7th at the AT&T and then 38th at the Open Championship after what had been an encouraging start to the week.
Lee Westwood finished runner up to Singh in this event last year and has been in outstanding form in recent starts. Westwood’s earlier form at Firestone had not been all that impressive but in the form he is in right now he stands a good chance.
Stewart Cink, must be a consideration with the huge confidence boost that being an Open Champion has brought to previous winners of this event. In addition to winning the event in 2004 when he defeated Woods, Cink finished runner up to Woods in 2006.
Retief Goosen is another playing beautifully at present. He finished 4th in the event last year but importantly he is playing considerably better now that he was then. Goosen was beaten in a playoff for the Canadian Open but arrives in Akron with four top tens in golf worldwide in his last four starts.
Hunter Mahan missed the cut at the Open Championship at his last start but prior to that was in outstanding form. He has played this course well in his two times to the event and a bounce back after Turnberry can be expected.
The Australasian challenge is headed by Geoff Ogilvy although the Victorian does not have a good record in the event. Adam Scott, Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby, Mathew Goggin, Nathan Green, Nick O’Hern and New Zealander Danny Lee also get their chance. Appleby finished joint runner up to Singh last year but, although there have been signs of improvement of late, it is hard to imagine him matching last year’s effort.
