WGC-Bridgestone Invitational preview

The build-up to every PGA tour event is dominated by the prospects of Tiger Woods, and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is no different. In fact Woods’ record at the Firestone Country club – he has won on his last four visits and seven times overall – means this tournament is particularly pertinent as the extent of the troubled star’s malaise continues to be measured.

Another major subplot is the tight battle for the number one ranking. Woods, Phil Mickelson could all clinch top place in the world rankings with victory in Ohio as the title of world’s best golfer begins a likely game of pass-the-parcel in the final months of the season.

Westwood would swap any number of weeks at the top of the rankings for a first major and the Englishman knows Bridgestone is a crucial part of his build-up for when US Open Tennis Betting gets underway.

Westwood is the man in form of the big three and has the game to succeed on one of the tour’s toughest courses. He was runner-up two years ago and is well-equipped to continue the success of European players on the US tour.

Mickelson has struggled at Firestone in recent years and it is a tough ask for a player who has lacked rhythm on fairways and greens recently to rediscover his touch at one of the four WGC events, despite his ability to produce on home soil when it matters.

Woods’ record at Firestone is hard to ignore, but his current plight is perhaps more important than the fact he has finished in the top five in all 11 appearances in the event. His putting at St Andrews was well short of what is required if he is to start winning again and the tricky greens on the Akron course is unlikely to be the place where he will find his range with his new putter.

Rory McIlroy is in such good form that he cannot be ignored when it comes to Tennis Betting odds, whilst Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan are good alternatives after securing top 10 finishes at the event last year. However, Westwood is the man to beat, which might well be the situation when the elite players assemble at Whistling Straits for the final major of the season.