Since 2007, the Bridgestone has landed on the schedule the week prior to the year’s final major, and while World Golf Championship events hold their own level of prestige, they won’t ever replace one of the four biggest tournaments.
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There was no struggle for McDowell during the opening round, where he birdied four of his first seven holes and never looked back. That left him one shot behind Lee, who played a flawless front nine to lead the first round.
Of being No. 1, McIlroy said, “I think you just go and you play, and you try to win golf tournaments”.
“It’s been a rough year, no doubt about it. Definitely been some time for reflection and some questions being asked of myself”, he said. “So days like today will certainly help in that direction”.
Last year: Rory McIlroy regained the No. 1 spot in the world, following his British Open victory with a two-stroke win. He expected a little rust. It’s hard for me to say … it may sound a little bit too greedy, but I did.
Jordan Spieth hits a chip to the second green during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational …
Spieth and Johnson are coming off three-week breaks, both taking time off to celebrate after getting back from St. Andrews. He doesn’t play a straight ball, and many of these holes are dead straight with trees lining the fairways. It would be folly, therefore, to write off such a big-game player, but at the odds I’m prepared to look elsewhere.
When last seen on the golf course, Spieth missed out on a three-man playoff at the British Open that ended his bid for a Grand Slam. The South Course at Firestone was remodeled by Robert Trent Jones in 1960. Only 21 players in the 77-man field broke par.
Phil Mickelson, watches his tee shot on the fourth hole, during the… Spieth walked off the third green relieved that he cleared the water and made par. He clipped branches and went in the middle of the pond for a triple bogey. He shot 76.
Bubba Watson hits out of the bunker on the 17th hole during the practice round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club, Wednesday, August 5, 2015, in Akron, Ohio.
Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose were at 67, while the large group at 68 included Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
Tiger Woods once famously hit a shot on the Firestone clubhouse roof from the rough. “I had some key putts out there and good up and downs”. The highlights were his victories in the Players Championship and the Aberdeen Asset Scottish Open, and he backed up those results with a second in the Quicken Loans National and a tie for third in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China.
The slump is mainly due to change at home. His motivation waned, followed by his game and inevitably some confidence.
Woods has floated the idea of playing the Wyndham Championship the week after the US PGA, which is the final regular PGA Tour event for players to get into the top 125 and qualify for the FedEx Cup play-offs.
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Making matters worse is that Firestone likely will only get tougher. Yeah, I do want it, ” McDowell said. “I am not looking back on the missed opportunities, I am very much focusing forward”. There’s a lot of tee shots into the fairways that are not flat so you’ve got to kind of angle it in there. “As far as my first round back after a couple-week layover, I’m pleased with the way we finished”.
