This week is the final installment of the WGC-Bridgestone in its current form. It will be moved to Memphis next year and re-branded with FedEx being the title sponsor. So, for the first, and last time, here is who we like this week at Firestone.
DMoney
Originally, I told myself that I wasn’t going to be the guy that picks Tiger to win every week until he finally cashes, but you know what? It’s my website and I can do what I want, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
When it comes to Firestone and the WGC Bridgestone, Tiger is synonymous with the course and tournament as Jack is with Murfield or Arnie is with Bay Hill. Sure, he doesn’t own the place like those two do, but he might as well with all the wins he’s racked up there. The eight wins that he has at Firestone are more than many pro golfers will get tin their entire careers. Plus, over the years he has given us moments like this:
“Shot in the Dark.”
"Shot in the Dark."
Enough said. @TigerWoods pic.twitter.com/7kuDgZSIYF
— WGC_Bridgestone (@WGC_Bridgestone) August 1, 2017
Given that this is the last year of the WGC Bridgestone and the final year Firestone will be a regular Tour stop for the foreseeable future (never say never, right Detroit?) it would only be fitting to see Tiger get his first win since coming back at a place where he has won eight times in his career.
TReaske
Oh, god. Don’t make me do it too.
/scans Bridgestone field
/reads the text above
Fine. I’ll pick Tiger Woods. For all the reasons mentioned by DMoney, Tiger is the smart pick at Firestone. But, let’s talk about his last start. At The Open Championship, I felt like Tiger was finally back to being a guy that could compete week in and week out on the PGA Tour. If you take out the last 9 holes, Tiger was in complete control of his game. He was driving well. He was putting well. He looked like Tiger Woods again!
I’ll take him this week and add this note from Sean Martin. (Spoiler: Tiger is pretty fantastic at this track)
Players to beat Tiger at Firestone from 1999-2009:
Stewart Cink
Darren Clarke
Jonathan Kaye
Davis Love IIIThat's it.
— Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) July 30, 2018
The Stiff Shaft
So, I heard that Tiger Woods is playing in this tournament…right?
Screw it, if either of the two guys above didn’t pick the guy who has won at Firestone 8 times, I’d probably have to … psst … kick them out for smarter writers.
Back to this week…
Woods is coming off his best major performance, a T6 at The Open, since the 2014 Masters when he finished T4, and although it would be easy to say that he didn’t get it done when he had the lead entering the back nine on a Sunday…I’m not going to do that. I’m going to focus on the positives in that Tiger looked great off the tee (he barely hit his driver). He was dead on with his irons and his putter was working.
Woods minimized his mistakes until Sunday, but this week, he will need to use that driver. He may even need to pull off a couple of miracle shots because the guy at the top of the world rankings, who has the second most WGC wins (5 to Tiger’s 18), is coming off a win at the RBC Canadian Open (his 3rd of the season) and is looking like the dominant player we know he is.
Not to mention, every single top 50 player in the world rankings is in this field, so there is no room for error. NONE!
"They're going nuts up here."@TigerWoods did the unthinkable at the @WGC_Bridgestone in 2000.#TOURVault pic.twitter.com/YfR4N0LLmG
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 1, 2018
3/3 pick Tiger Woods this week!
