Tiger Woods blitzes field to win 18th WGC title

Woods romps to victory again at Firestone.

Tiger Woods blitzed the field to win an eighth WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club. Woods romped to a seven shot victory over Keegan Bradley and Henrik Stenson that included a remarkable second round 61 where Woods briefly flirted with a 59*.

Woods’ even par final round in windy conditions was methodical and was very much a case of ‘catch me if you can’.

“If I didn’t give any shots away and played my game and shot even par or better, I’d force these guys to go and shoot something super low on a golf course that wasn’t going to give it up under these conditions,” Woods said after the round.

The rest of the field was just playing for positions and a spot in next week’s final major of the year, the US PGA Championship.

Adam Scott overcame a poor opening round to finish as the best Australian in a tie for 14th position.

Daniel Popovic earned his spot in the field due to his amazing Australian PGA Championship victory last year but had a tough time at Firestone finishing a whopping 34-over par for the tournament including a final round 12-over 82.

Woods has now won 18 WGC titles. The statistic stands on its own feet but when you consider he has competed in 42 WGC events, the 18 victories look even more impressive.

*I’ve never quite understood why there isn’t the debate as to the quality of a 59 when par for the course is 70 rather than the more traditional 72.