Inside Look Of Firestone

Bridgestone Invitational World Golf Championship

Course: South Course, Firestone Country Club
Location: Akron, Ohio
Since: 1999
Yardage: 7,400
Par: 70
Low Winning Total: 259 (-21) Tiger Woods 2000
Course Record: 61 Tiger Woods (2000)
Field: 81
Format: Four day, no cut, 72 hole stroke play competition
Tee Off: Thursday BST 14:30

Overview

After Jack Nicklaus won his fourth PGA Championship at Firestone Country Club in 1975 the course hosted the World Series of Golf from 1976-1998. In 1999 the World Series of Golf became one of the four annual World Golf Championships.

An elite field lines up for this year's Bridgestone Invitational featuring 49 of the top 50 players in the world including 17 Major Champions with 40 Major victories between them.

The World Golf Championships are truly international events and there are 51 international players in the field, representing 20 countries from outside the United States. In the 10 year history three international players have won - Craig Parry (2002), Darren Clarke (2003) and Vijay Singh (2008).

Last Time Out

Vijay Singh hung on a year ago to defeat Stuart Appleby and Lee Westwood by a stroke.

At 45 years, 5 months and 12 days old, Singh was the oldest player and only player in his 40s to win a World Golf Championship event. His win at the 2008 Bridgestone Invitational made him the most successful international player in PGA Tour history.

Course

The South Course plays to par 70 and measuring 7,400 yards is one of the longest golf courses on the PGA Tour. It is an old-fashioned tree-lined golf course with narrow sloping fairways, thick rough and lightning fast greens heavily protected by bunkers.

A cool wet summer has left the course looking verdant. The rough is thick and lush and recent warmer weather has started to dry the course out. The ball is starting to roll out and by the start of the tournament conditions should be on the firm and fast side.

Fairways

The last two winners have ranked in the top five for driving distance. With half the holes measuring at least 464 yards off the tee, including a par five that plays 667 yards, long hitters of the golf ball are at an advantage.

This is not an out and out bombers golf course as many of the fairways are narrow, slopey, tree-lined and with thick four-inch rough players need to be accurate off the tee. The last two winners were ranked 11th and 21st for driving accuracy.

Greens

Usually these are some of the quickest greens the players will face all year and they are set to run at 12.5-13 on the stimpmeter. Heavy rain last Friday has softened the greens but they are starting to dry out and firm up.

There are 82 bunkers on the course and most of these can be found around the greens, so players who are inaccurate with their approach shots will be left with some very tricky up and downs.

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