WGC Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone South Course in Akron, Ohio features all the top 50 players in the world. Should be riveting. The way golf has gone this season, expect nothing less than an electric tournament, particularly on Sunday. Tiger Woods is certainly the favorite having won this event seven of the 12 times he’s played in it. That’s remarkable. Adam Scott won it last year at -17, and Hunter Mahan won it in 2010 at -12. I expect around -15 to win it this year.
The course plays 7,400 yards and the signature hole, No.16, is a 667 yard, par 5. There is a creek on the right side of the fairway as you approach the green and a pond directly in front of the green. A front right pin placement really brings the water into play. Can’t be short. Accuracy is critical on this course as there are many bunkers and trees lining the sides of the fairways. The fourth hole is considered the most difficult one on the course. It’s a 471 yard, par 4. The fairway slopes right to left and accuracy off  the tee is required. The second shot must come in high to hold the elevated green. Par is considered a good score. The par 3’s are 200 (No.5), 219 (No.7), 180 (N0.12) and 221 (No.15). No. 18 is a classic 464-yard par 4 where there is usually plenty of  drama. Tiger Woods won the tournament in the dark in 2oo0 making a 12-footer with no daylight to capture his then second  WGC-NEC Invitational. He won by 11 shots.

Gotta go with Tiger in this one. He’s proven he can win the tournaments this year that he’s owned through the years. He won Bay Hill for the seventh time in March (Arnie’s tourney) and he won the Memorial (Jack’s tourney) in June for the fifth time. He has the same type of dominance at Firestone. He plays these classic courses very well. Just so confident at Firestone. Besides Tiger, I’ll go with Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker and Zach Johnson to make it interesting. Graeme McDowell is another. Not sure Adam Scott is mentally back up after his devastating collapse at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, but if he is, he won it  impressively last year, and he certainly has the ball striking to play well if he is putting well. Steve Williams was taking all the credit last year for Scott’s victory though he didn’t hit one single shot. Williams, to me, is overrated. Never thought he was that great. Was a great body guard for Tiger, but don’t think he was the reason he won the tournaments. Lee Westwood is a threat with his accuracy, but still don’t think he’s got the short game to get it done at big tournaments, particularly majors. I’m  not sure if he’ll ever get it done in a major. Luke Donald is another who is good, but not elite. He could never get a major either. I like Johnson and Kuchar as threats and Snedeker if he can handle the pressure in the clutch. Zach has won twice: at Colonial and at the John Deere, and Kuchar won the Players in May. Kuchar is Mr. Consistent on the tour. Zach is pretty much the same way.

But I’ll take Tiger with some good competition. Whether this will carry over into the PGA, is unclear. Sure wouldn’t hurt for him to get a W. I’ll give Kuchar, Snedeker and Johnson good chances to challenge Tiger for the title, and the important Fed Ex Cup points that go with it. And for some of these guys, the important Ryder Cup points that go with it as well. Tiger is the clear favorite. If there is one guy I see challenging him for the title it’s Kuchar.