Official World Golf Ranking #1 and 2009 champion Tiger Woods announced yesterday that he will defend his World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational title next week at Firestone Country Club.
Woods has won on seven previous occasions thrat Firestone, including last year when he rallied in the final round to beat three-time major golf champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland and Australian Robert Allenby by four shots. In doing so, he became the first golfer to win a stroke-play event seven times on the same golf course on either the PGA TOUR or the European Tour.
Woods has never finished lower than fourth at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
The No. 1-ranked Woods, who has still to win from seven starts this year, will be playing for the first time since the British Open at St. Andrews, where he tied for 23rd.
If not otherwise qualified, the winner of this week's PGA Tour Greenbrier Classic and 3 Irish Open on the European Tour will have the opportunity to join Woods in the field at the Bridgestone Invitational.
In addition, any player not otherwise qualified who moves into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday, Aug. 2, will earn a last-minute trip to Akron.