Local Knowledge: 2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Local Knowledge: 2013 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

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T.J. Auclair, Interactive Producer August 1, 2013


This week's World Golf Championships-BridgestoneInvitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, is the start of a grueling stretch on the PGA Tour, one that also includes next week's PGA Championship and four playoff events over the next seven weeks.

Keegan Bradley returns to Firestone as the defending champion, while Phil Mickelson makes his first start since winning the Open Championship at Muirfield. Tiger Woodswill also be at Firestone and he's a player you always have to look out for there, where he's won seven times in his illustrious career.

Before the start of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, we caught up with Firestone PGA Head Professional David Champagne for a little Q&A. Champagne talked about the course conditions, the similarities between Firestone and Oak Hill (site of the PGA Championship) and more.

PGA.com: David, as always, we appreciate your time. We've reached that time of year, where it seems there's one big tournament after another. This week marks one of the biggest in terms of non-majors on the PGA Tour schedule with the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone. Can you give our readers a little insight into how the course is playing right now?

Champagne:We're very excited about the upcoming week. The weather forecast looks great and should produce some ideal scoring conditions. We have encountered a great deal of rain leading up to the tournament, not allowing the course to play as firm as we had hoped for, but the overall condition of the golf course is perfect.


PGA.com: Sometimes when there's a tournament the week before a major, players are there trying to prepare for the major. That's never the case at a World Golf Championship event -- players are trying to win that tournament. That said, are there any similarities that you can pinpoint between Firestone and Oak Hill?

Champagne:Growing up in Rochester, N.Y., I have had the fortune of playing both of these great golf courses. I do see some similarities in that Oak Hill and Firestone are both more of your old, traditional style golf courses. Narrow, tree-lined fairways will put a premium on ball striking especially at Oak Hill as they set up the golf course for a major. I like the fact both courses are pretty straight forward and they require you to be on top of your game. They always seem to produce great champions.

PGA.com: It's been a wild year so far. Tiger Woods has won four times. The majors have been fantastic. How much more exciting is it for you to host a tournament when so many of the Tour superstars are seemingly on top of their respective games?

Champagne:It's always a highlight of our year at Firestone. It's a great stretch of championships with the Open Championship, WGC at Firestone, and the PGA Championship all played within a month time frame. We always have one of the best fields of the year for the WGC here at Firestone. With so many of the top players in the world present, our Championship seems to always make for exciting finishes.

PGA.com: Will you have a chance to get out and watch any golf during tournament week? If so, what is it you're looking for when you watch the top players? I would think -- unlike most of us spectators -- you probably look at things with a more critical eye.

Champagne:I will probably not have much time to watch from the course. I try and make a little time to visit the practice areas to watch the players working on their games. From a teaching standpoint, I enjoy analyzing practice habits and swing techniques from the top players in the world. I always look for thoughts and ideas of how the best get better.

PGA.com: Last question for you, David. What -- in your eyes -- would make for a perfect tournament week at Firestone?

Champagne:Well, it would be perfect if I was playing in the tournament but all joking aside, I am looking forward to Firestone hosting another World Golf Championship. The act of helping local charities and being part of the camaraderie amongst the Firestone members and staff always makes for a great week. We look forward to crowning another great champion and hope everyone involved has a safe, productive, and fun filled experience. Accomplishing all of the above mentioned would make for a perfect week.

Women's British Open: Park three off lead

Women's British Open: Park three off lead

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The Sports Xchange August 1, 2013The SportsXchange



American Morgan Pressel took the early clubhouse lead with a 6-under round of 66 in the first round of the Women's British Open on Thursday, with Sweden's Camilla Lennarth joining her atop the leaderboard with a birdie on the 18th hole later in the day.

Fifty-four players finished the first round under par on The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland, including Inbee Park, who grinded out a 3-under round of 69 on a "rollercoaster" day. Park is seeking to become the first golfer - male or female - to win four major professional championships in the same calendar year.

Park reached 6-under through 10 holes, but scuffled down the stretch with a double bogey and two bogeys on the back nine. She managed to make three putts from 15-plus feet and finished with her seventh birdie of the day on 18.

"I played very good on the front nine and then I had a little bit shaky on the back nine," Park said. "But I still feel really good about the game. I was 6-under through 10 holes and that means I could do the same thing tomorrow.

"There was a couple of bad drives and a couple of bad putts on the back nine, but it's the first round, and could have been much better. A little bit disappointing, but I'm glad that I've done that in the first round instead of the final round."

Americans Nicole Castrole, Stacy Lewis, Sydnee Michaels and Ryann O'Toole are among seven players one shot off the lead. Lewis carded five birdies on the back nine. South Koreans Na Yeon Choi, Eun-Hee Ji and Mi-Jeong Jeon also sit at 5-under.

"I got more comfortable with my putter, made a couple of good putts for par," Lewis said. "To come away, shooting 5-under on the back nine on this golf course, I don't care if it's calm or if it's windy, it's a good score, so I'm very happy with the day."

Park won the U.S. Women's Open in July, the LPGA Championship in June and the Kraft Nabisco Championships in April. If she can't get a fourth major title in Scotland, another chance exists with the Evian Masters, added as a fifth major this season.

Bobby Jones won four majors in a calendar year, but two were amateur championships. He won the British Open, U.S. Open and the amateur events at those two tournaments.

Tigers Woods won the 2001 Masters after winning the British Open, PGA Championship and U.S. Open in 2000, giving him four successive major title wins.

"I was a little bit nervous this morning before I teed off," Park said. "But then once the round started, and especially playing so good in the first few holes, that really gave me a lot of confidence.

"I didn't feel much pressure when I was playing during the round. I'm just glad that it is already started and I got the first round under my belt."

Golf-Simpson takes early control at Firestone, Tiger lurks

Golf-Simpson takes early control at Firestone, Tiger lurks

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August 1, 2013


By Mark Lamport-Stokes

AKRON, Ohio, August 1 (Reuters) - It was case of love at first sight for Webb Simpson on his debut at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as he spectacularly charged into an early one-shot lead in Thursday's opening round.

While seven-times winner Tiger Woods also made a strong start, firing a four-under-par 66, Simpson seized control of the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) event with an eight-birdie 64.

On a breezy day of sunshine and sporadic cloud cover atFirestone Country Club, the former U.S. Open champion was in sizzling form on the greens, totalling only 22 putts to end the round a stroke in front of Swede Henrik Stenson.

Woods, who has triumphed a season-high four times on the 2013 PGA Tour, mixed six birdies with two bogeys to sit a further shot back, level with fellow American Ryan Moore and Englishman Chris Wood.

Simpson was elated to be the early tournament front-runner after taking full advantage of advice from his experienced caddie on how to play the heavily tree-lined Firestone layout.

"It was a great start," the 27-year-old American told reporters after setting the tone for a low round with four birdies in his first nine holes.

"My caddie has been here so many years and I just had to listen to him. He basically showed me where to go yesterday and told me where to hit it, where the lines were, what clubs to hit.

"Today was one of those days where I just saw the lines well, and my speed was really good. You've got to have great speed because there's so much slope in the greens.

"And the better the speed, the bigger the hole," said Simpson, who missed out on making his debut at Firestone last year due to the birth of his daughter Willow.


IMPROVING FORM

Simpson has not triumphed on the PGA Tour since he clinched his maiden major victory at the 2012 U.S. Open but he has been encouraged by his improving form on the U.S. circuit this season.

"It's encouraging and frustrating because I haven't won and yet I'm 17th in FedExCup (standings)," he said. "I feel like I've let a couple of tournaments go that maybe I should have closed out or at least I should have contended more."

Simpson has recorded four top-10s in 18 starts on the 2013 PGA Tour, his best finish a playoff loss to Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell at the RBC Heritage in April.

"If I'm getting better, I'm happy," said Simpson. "And I do feel like I'm getting better, I just don't have the results this year to show it."

Woods has certainly had the results with four PGA Tour wins this season and he swiftly moved into familiar territory at Firestone, covering his back nine in four-under 31 to rocket up the leaderboard.

"I felt pretty good today," said the 14-times major champion. "It was a little blustery, the wind was up and the greens were soft but at least the ball was flying.

"I feel very good about what I'm doing with basically my whole swing. I hit a lot of good shots. I had a really good feel for the distance today. I thought I putted well. I had a good speed to it."

Woods has won a record seven times at Firestone, and has piled up a staggering 11 top-10 finishes in 13 appearances at the elite event.

"For some reason this golf course, I just see it," said the world number one. "It's just one of those venues. Luckily over the years I've taken advantage of it. I have played well and I've scored well, and I've won my share of tournaments here."

Defending champion Keegan Bradley, British Open winner Phil Mickelson and Northern Irish world number three Rory McIlroy were among the late starters in the 73-man field. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Julian Linden)

Golf-World rankings

Golf-World rankings

August 5, 2013









Aug 5 (Reuters) - World rankings on Monday (U.S. unless stated, last week's positions in brackets): 1. (1) Tiger Woods 14.19 average points 2. (2) Phil Mickelson 8.56 3. (3) Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) 8.32 4. (4) Justin Rose(England) 7.60 5. (5) Adam Scott (Australia) 7.44 6. (6) Matt Kuchar 6.64 7. (7) Brandt Snedeker 6.59 8. (8) Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) 5.94 9. (9) Luke Donald(England) 5.40 10. (17) Keegan Bradley 5.10 11. (19) Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 5.09 12. (10) Lee Westwood (England) 5.07 13. (11) Steve Stricker 4.92 14. (13) Charl Schwartzel(South Africa) 4.72 15. (14) Ernie Els (South Africa) 4.65 16. (12) Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 4.65 17. (15) Ian Poulter (England) 4.61 18. (16) Sergio garcia (Spain) 4.59 19. (18) Bubba Watson 4.31 20. (20) Jason Day (Australia) 4.26 (Editing by Caroline Helly)

Golf-Woods the favourite at Oak Hill after Firestone win

Golf-Woods the favourite at Oak Hill after Firestone win

August 5, 2013








By Mark Lamport-Stokes

Aug 5 (Reuters) - The PGA Championship has often been the most unpredictable of all four majors but this week, at Oak Hill Country Club, Tiger Woods will start out as a heavy favourite after coasting to his 79th PGA Tour victory on Sunday.

Though the American world number one has not claimed a major title since his remarkable playoff victory at the 2008 U.S. Open, his runaway triumph at Firestone Country Clubon Sunday suggested that every component of his game is in top order.

Granted, Woods was competing at one of his favourite venues but, by firing a brilliant nine-under-par 61 on Friday, he distanced himself from an elite field before romping home by seven shots to win the event for a record eighth time.

It was his fifth PGA Tour victory of the year and the 10th time he has piled up as many wins in a single season.

"Any time you can go into a major tournament, or any tournament, with a win under your belt it's nice," Woods told reporters at Firestone. "It validates what you're working on and you have some nice momentum going in there."

While Woods was a dominant figure at Firestone, with the quality of his iron play particularly impressive, he will once again come under the spotlight after failing to add to his career tally of 14 majors over the past five years.

He has often played his way into contention over the first two rounds only for his game to fade over the weekend with his driving and putting the main contributors.

Has his title drought in the majors sharpened his appetite to win more as he strives to get closer to the record 18 piled up by his childhood idol Jack Nicklaus?

"No, it's the same," said Woods, a four-times winner of the PGA Championship. "Those are the events that we try and peak for and try and win.

"There's four of them a year and each and every major, I always want them. I've been successful 14 times and hopefully (Oak Hill) will be 15."

Woods has been installed as the tournament favourite at 7-2 by British bookmakers William Hill.

However, unpredictability has been the predominant theme going into all the majors in recent years and this week's PGA Championship par-70 East Course at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York, is no exception.


UNPREDICTABLE TREND

Eighteen different players have combined to win the last 20 majors and that trend could continue with players such asEnglishmen Luke Donald and Lee Westwood andAmericans Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker aiming for their first grand-slam crowns.

"In general, golfers and fields are getting closer," said former world number one Donald who has recorded eight top-10s in the majors, including a tie for third at the 2006 PGA Championship.

"It's becoming tougher to win these days. There's a lot of great talent out there and technology has probably brought golfers a little bit closer. It's all about finding that right time when it (winning a major) happens."

Oak Hill's heavily tree-lined East Course, a par-70 layout measuring 7,163 yards off the back tees, will be staging its third PGA championship and the players are preparing for a stiff challenge.

"The rough is extremely long and thick, as long and thick of rough as I've seen in a long time," said British Open champion Phil Mickelson who played a practice round at Oak Hill a week ago.

"It's really pristine but it's difficult, as you can imagine, like any major championship. Like a U.S. Open, it will have a premium on getting the ball in play off the tee and so forth."

Northern Irish world number three Rory McIlroy, who romped to victory in last year's PGA Championship at Kiawah Island by a record eight shots, liked the look of Oak Hill when he played there in June.

"When I think of the PGA Championship, I think of courses like this," McIlroy said. "This course is timeless. It's not only long but it's hard to drive the ball well.

"You've got to shape a lot of shots at Oak Hill. The par-threes are strong holes, and you're going to have to hit some good iron shots. You've got some (birdie) chances out there but then again you've got a tough finish."

Of all the majors in recent times, the PGA attracts the strongest field - this week 99 of the world's top 100 are scheduled to compete - and yet it has often been the most likely to throw up a surprise winner.

The championship was won in consecutive years from 2002 by unheralded Americans Rich Beem and Shaun Micheel, underlining that any player is capable of victory.

Keegan Bradley, in his rookie season on the PGA Tour, clinched the 2011 title in a playoff with fellowAmerican Jason Dufner after starting the week ranked 108th in the world, and both players are likely to contend again this week.

Also likely to flourish are Masters champion Adam Scott, fellow Australia Jason Day, U.S. Open winner Justin Rose of England, Americans Bubba Watson, Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan, and South African Charl Schwartzel. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Golf-Groupings for first two rounds at PGA Championship

Golf-Groupings for first two rounds at PGA Championship

August 5, 2013








Aug 5 (Reuters) - Tee times and groupings for the first two

rounds of the PGA Championship being played at Oak Hill Country

Club in Rochester, New York, from Thursday (times are local, for

GMT add four hours; U.S. unless stated):

Thursday, Aug. 8, first hole-Friday, Aug. 9, 10th hole

0710-1220: Rob Labritz, John Senden (Australia), Shane Lowry

(Ireland)

0720-1230: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand), Bob Gaus, Luke

Guthrie

0730-1240: Marc Leishman (Australia), Josh Teater, Pablo

Larrazabal (Spain)

0740-1250: Tommy Gainey, Ryan Palmer, David Hearn (Canada)

0750-1300: Michael Thompson, Marcel Siem (Germany), Bo Van Pelt

0800-1310: Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, Mark Brooks

0810-1320: Richard Sterne (South Africa), Scott Brown, David

Lingmerth (Sweden)

0820-1330: Ben Curtis, Marcus Fraser (Australia), Peter Hanson

(Sweden)

0830-1340: Stewart Cink, Paul Lawrie (Scotland), Rafael

Cabrera-Bello (Spain)

0840-1350: Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark), Brian Gay, David Lynn

(England)

0850-1400: Stephen Gallacher (Scotland), David McNabb, Branden

Grace (South Africa)

0900-1410: Caine Fitzgerald, Kevin Streelman, Bernd Wieseberger

(Austria)

0910-1420: J.C. Anderson, Matt Jones (Australia), Jaco van Zyl

(South Africa)

Thursday, Aug. 8, 10th hole-Friday, Aug. 9, first hole

0715-1225: Charley Hoffman, Bob Sowards, Matt Every

0725-1235: Mark Sheftic, Robert Garrigus, Hiroyuki Fujita

(Japan)

0735-1245: Hunter Mahan, Paul Casey (England), Billy Horschel

0745-1255: Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Steve Stricker, Jason

Dufner

0755-1305: Sergio Garcia (Spain), Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler

0805-1315: Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland), Ernie Els (South

Africa), Bill Haas

0815-1325: David Toms, Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Yang

Yong-eun (South Korea)

0825-1335: Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Dustin Johnson, Charl

Schwartzel (South Africa)

0835-1345: Davis Love III, Keegan Bradley, Tiger Woods

0845-1355: Peter Uihlein, Jim Furyk, Thomas Bjorn (Denmark)

0855-1405: K.J. Choi (South Korea), Ryan Polzin, Jonas Blixt

(Sweden)

0905-1415: Scott Stallings, Jason Kokrak, Jeff Sorenson


0915-1425: Scott Jamieson (Scotland), Roberto Castro, Stuart

Smith

Thursday, Aug. 8, first hole-Friday, Aug. 9, 10th hole

1225-0715: John Huh, Ryo Ishikawa (Japan), Danny Balin

1235-0725: Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland), Tom Watson, Paul

McGinley (Ireland)

1245-0735: Kohki Idoki (Japan), Rod Perry, Nick Watney

1255-0745: Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium), Jason Day (Australia),

Brandt Snedeker

1305-0755: Tim Clark (South Africa), Lee Westwood (England),

Bubba Watson

1315-0805: Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain), Webb Simpson, Angel

Cabrera (Argentina)

1325-0815: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Vijay Singh (Fiji),

Martin Kaymer (Germany)

1335-0825: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain), Luke Donald

(England), Jordan Spieth

1345-0835: Adam Scott (Australia), Justin Rose (England), Phil

Mickelson

1355-0845: Lucas Glover, Ian Poulter (England), Zach Johnson

1405-0855: Kevin Chappell, Christopher Wood (England), Mike

Small

1415-0905: Kevin Stadler, Chip Sullivan, Chris Stroud

1425-0915: Sonny Skinner, Gary Woodland, Richie Ramsay

(Scotland)

Thursday, Aug. 8, 10th hole-Friday, Aug. 9, first hole

1220-0710: Mark Brown, Scott Piercy, Brooks Koepka

1230-0720: Derek Ernst, Jeff Martin, Charles Howell III

1240-0730: Ken Duke, Matteo Manassero (Italy), Jimmy Walker

1250-0740: Danny Willett (England), Joost Luiten (Netherlands),

Russell Henley

1300-0750: Freddie Jacobson (Sweden), George Coetzee (South

Africa), Harris English

1310-0800: Boo Weekley, Francesco Molinari (Italy), Thongchai

Jaidee (Thailand)

1320-0810: Jamie Donaldson (Wales), Ryan Moore, Alex Noren

(Sweden)

1330-0820: Brett Rumford (Australia), Geoff Ogilvy (Australia),

John Merrick

1340-0830: Bae Sang-moon (South Korea), Woody Austin, Martin

Laird (Scotland)

1350-0840: Carl Pettersson (Sweden), D.A. Points, Mikko Ilonen

(Finland)

1400-0850: Graham DeLaet (Canada), Kirk Hanefeld, Kyle Stanley

1410-0900: David Muttitt, Charlie Beljan, Brendon de Jonge

(Zimbabwe)

1420-0910: Lee Rhind, Chris Kirk, Marc Warren (Scotland)

(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

Snedeker feels close to unlocking major key

Snedeker feels close to unlocking major key

Mark Lamport-Stokes August 7, 2013







.

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Brandt Snedeker of the U.S. reacts after he hits from the rough from to the twelfth green on his way …


By Mark Lamport-Stokes

ROCHESTER, New York (Reuters) - Winning breeds confidence and in-form Brandt Snedeker says he now knows what is needed for him to land a first major title at this week's PGA Championship after a few close calls in the past.

The fast-talking American clinched his second PGA Tourvictory of the season at the Canadian Open two weeks ago and believes he is close to replicating the sizzling form he produced at the start of the year.

Snedeker recorded four top-threes in his first five events, including a two-shot triumph at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February, before he was sidelined for five weeks because of a sore rib cage.

"I feel really good about my game coming into this week, I feel good about having a better idea of what it takes to win one of these (majors)," Snedeker told Reuters at Oak Hill Country Club while preparing for Thursday's opening round.

"I realize it's more of a marathon and not a sprint. I realize that you have to learn how to manage your mistakes, keep hanging in there and wait for good things to happen."

A six-times winner on the PGA Tour, Snedeker is delighted to be close to his best heading into the year's final major.

"I am starting to play good," said the 32-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee. "I feel like I am playing like I was at the beginning of the year. I feel like I am close to playing some great golf.

"I am a lot more relaxed now and I'm a lot more into the process and realizing that a lot more goes into winning majors than just hitting the golf ball good.

"You've got to do a lot. You have to think well, you have to hit the ball in the right spots, you've got to get up and down when you need to, that kind of stuff."


BEATING THE BEST

Snedeker has posted five top-10s in the majors, including ties for third at the 2008 Masters and the 2012 British Open, but it was his victory in last year's Tour Championship that proved to him he could beat the world's best when it counted.

"That was really good," Snedeker said of his three-shot triumph at the season-ending Tour Championship where he also earned FedExCup honors and the eye-popping $10 million bonus.

"Any time you beat one of the best fields in golf, take the lead into the last round with Tiger (Woods) and Rory (McIlroy) and everybody right there and being able to win, gives you a lot of confidence. You know you can do it."

Snedeker, who is known for being one of the best putters in the game, is especially pleased that he achieved both of his PGA Tour wins this year after holding at least a share of the lead going into the final round.

"I've just got to do that more often, give myself more chances," he smiled. "I know you're not going to win them all but the more chances I keep giving myself in these majors, the better chance I have of winning one."

Snedeker likes the look of Oak Hill's challenging East Course, which this week will be staging the PGA Championship for a third time.

"It's a great test from tee to green," he said. "You have to drive the ball in play. It tests every club in your bag, and there's 10 different ways to play every hole.

"You can hit driver on most of them if you want to or you can lay back with a three-iron and put the emphasis on your iron play. So it's just what you feel comfortable with.

"But, like any major, it's going to come down to putting. You've got to make those 10-footers, those eight-footers for pars because this golf course is really, really tough. Anywhere around par (in total) is going to win."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)