Bridgestone invitational World Golf Championship
Tiger Woods Triumphs at Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio
Aug 10, 2009
The third World Golf Championship of the season arrives the week before the final major of the year, The PGA Championship. The Bridgestone invitational has historically been one of Tiger Woods strongest events with six wins out of the fifteen he has acquired in just 29 WGC events he has played in.
Day one starts in fine weather conditions, with little wind suggesting a day of good scoring. Tim Clark from South Africa and Thailand’s Prayed Marksang confirm this with morning rounds of 66. Marksang nearly went better, dropping two shots on the final two holes.
Tim Clark Birdies
In-form Lee Westwood begins with a double bogey on the 1st but follows this with five birdies in the next seven holes. Scott Verplank cards a 66 and Tiger Woods opens his account with a two under par 68. Leader at the end of day one is Ireland’s Padraig Harrington who roars back to form with a 64.
None of the leaders are threatening to run away with the lead on day two. Americans Scott Verplank, and Steve Stricker cement good rounds on day one with 69’s to get to -5 and -4. Fellow American Jerry Kelly and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros shoot the best rounds, 65’s. Tim Clark follows yesterdays 66 with a 68 to head into the weekend in second on -6, one shot behind leader Padraig Harrington.
Tiger Woods begins to put a real run together in the third round. A round of 65 includes many laser precise irons setting up birdie opportunities that lead to a 65 and -7 overall. Americans JB Holmes, 65, Pat Perez, 66 and Kenny Perry, 66 lead the way today for the chasing pack.
Just as Woods finishes his round tied with Harrington and Clark on -7, Harrington puts in a burst of birdies on 12 and 13 to get to -9. Unfortunately Tim Clark is going in the other direction, dropping back to -5. Another birdie and then a solid finish leaves Harrington at -10 with a three shot lead going into Sunday. He looks aware and prepared for a super battle with Tiger Woods tomorrow.
Woods and Harrington go Head to Head
Ian Poulter makes a fast start on Sunday with three birdies in three holes. Zach Johnson starts well and is -6 for the championship after six holes. Lee Westwood looks in good form for next week’s PGA, signing for a 65 to finish at -5. Steve Stricker gets to -7 after eleven holes as all eyes turn to the final pairing of the day which sees the two best players in big tournaments of the last few years head to head at last.
British Open Champion Stewart Cink
Tiger Woods reduces the three shot deficit he had to Padraig Harrington in three holes after an eagle on two and then a birdie. The fifth hole sees Woods steal ahead and by the turn Woods is out in 30 and has a two shot lead despite Harrington not dropping a shot. British Open champion Stewart Cink opens the back nine with three birdies to reach -8, ready to pounce if the two leaders drop shots.
Harrington finally gets a birdie at the 11th and Woods drops a shot on thirteen and suddenly they are level on -11. Woods then chops out of the rough into the sand on fourteen to drop behind. Woods finds something truly magnificent on sixteen a 180 metre iron over water to within six inches of the pin.
Equal at this moment, it all goes wrong for Harrington, as he chips out from rough at the back of the green straight into the water for an eight and a four shot swing on the sixteenth gives Woods his 16th World Golf Championship in just thirty attempts.
