WGC specialist Woods coasts to seven-shot win

AKRON, Ohio - Tiger Woods eased to a seven-shot victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday, earning his 79th win on the PGA Tour and sounding an ominous warning to his rivals ahead of next week's PGA Championship.

Seven strokes ahead overnight, the world number one left an elite field trailing in his wake as he signed off with an even-par 70 at Firestone Country Club to land a record eighth title in the World Golf Championships (WGC) event.

Woods played rock-steady golf on a warm, blustery afternoon at one his favourite venues, barely making a mistake on the way to a 15-under total of 265 for his fifth PGA Tour title this year in only 11 starts.

With his eighth victory at Firestone, he equalled the mark he already shares with Sam Snead for most wins at a single PGA Tour event.

It also leaves him just three shy of matching the Hall of Famer's record 82 career PGA Tour victories. Since turning professional in late 1996, Woods has won at least five times on the U.S. circuit in 10 separate seasons.

"The total body of work is pretty good," Woods told reporters after earning the winner's cheque for $1.5 million.

"One thing I'm proud of is obviously how many times I've won, how many World Golf Championships I've won, but also how many years I've won five or more times in a season.

"That's something I'm very proud of is how many tournaments I've been able to win consistently, year-in and year-out, and then how many World Golf Championships I've been able to win."

Fellow American Keegan Bradley, the defending champion, closed with a five-birdie 67 to share second place at eight under with Swede Henrik Stenson (70).

"It was a really weird feeling because it was like a tournament within a tournament," said Bradley. "Coming in second is a big accomplishment considering Tiger had such a big lead.

"It's very tough to give Tiger that many shots. The round he shot on Friday was pretty special. You know, I hate to sit here and go on and on about how good he is, but he is."

EFFECTIVELY OVER

The tournament was effectively over after Woods distanced himself from his rivals with a stunning nine-under 61 on Friday and virtually every spectator on Sunday had eyes firmly focused on the world number one.

The galleries were lined three-to-four deep on the right side of the fairway before Woods teed off in the final round, fans having welcomed him with shouts of "Go Tiger" and "79".

After using an iron off the tee at the par-four first to find the left portion of the fairway, he struck his approach just short of the green into the rough from where he chipped five feet past the hole and made the putt to save par.

Wearing his trademark Sunday red shirt, Woods played solidly for the next eight holes, lining up mid-range birdie putts on each green while squandering his only close opportunity from six feet at the second.

Out in level-par 35, Woods recorded his only birdie of the day at the par-four 10th, sinking a seven-footer to briefly stretch his advantage to nine strokes.

The quality of his iron play was stellar all day and it came as a surprise when he made his only error of the round with a three-putt bogey from long range at the par-four 14th for his lead to be cut to eight.

That lead then shrank to seven when Bradley birdied the par-four 17th but Woods safely parred his last four holes to complete the 18th WGC win of his career in 42 starts.

"Being as blustery as it was, it was going to be really hard for someone to shoot 62 or 63 today," said Woods, who after his round picked up his young son, Charlie, before setting off to sign his card.

"If I didn't give any shots away today and played my game and shot even par or better, I'd have to 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."

U.S. Open winner Justin Rose carded a 69 to finish at one under, two strokes better than British Open champion Phil Mickelson, who said he lacked the requisite sharpness all week as he signed off with a 71.

Northern Irish world number three Rory McIlroy closed with a 72 to end a largely disappointing week as he prepares for his title defence at the PGA Championship.

"I keep saying my game doesn't feel too far away," said McIlroy. "It's obviously not where I want it to be, but it's not a million miles away." (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Julian Linden)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Tiger aims to regain winning ways at happy hunting ground

Frustrated after a wasted opportunity to win last week's British Open, Tiger Woods will be back in PGA Tour action for next week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at one of his favourite venues as he hunts a fifth victory this year.

American Woods has triumphed a record seven times at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio where he will also be looking to build momentum for the season's final major, the PGA Championship to be played the following week.

"This is one of my favourite courses," world number one Woods said on his website (http://web.tigerwoods.com/) about the tree-lined venue for the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) event.


"There is nothing tricky about it; everything is right in front of you. And the fans do a great job of supporting the event."

Woods will aim to return to the PGA Tour winner's circle, having tied for sixth in last week's British Open at Muirfield in Scotland where his bid for a 15th major title unravelled in the final round as he closed with a three-over-par 74.

He was happy with his overall game at Muirfield, though he struggled with his putting, especially in the final round.

"The whole week, I really hit so many good shots and really had control of my ball," the 37-year-old told reporters. "The frustrating part is I didn't get the (putting) speed.

"I'm very pleased with the way I'm playing, there's no doubt. I'm right there. We have the World Golf Championship here at (Firestone) a golf course I like, and I've had a little bit of success on it. I'm looking forward to that."

Woods has not won a major title since his remarkable playoff victory at the 2008 U.S. Open where he was severely hampered by a double stress fracture in his left shinbone.

However, he has displayed excellent form on the PGA Tour this year, winning four times in just 10 starts, and ranks first in FedExCup points, money earnings and scoring.

The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational will be played from Aug. 1-4. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Johnson banks on Colonial comfort factor

Zach Johnson has finished no better than joint 18th on the 2013 PGA Tour but hopes he can regain top form on his title defence at this week's Crowne Plaza Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas where he is a twice former champion.

A medium-length hitter who is renowned for his accuracy, tenacity and a superb short game, the 37-year-old American has always loved playing at Colonial Country Club, an iconic venue where high quality shot-making reaps rich reward.

"I'm going to hopefully take some of those good feelings I've had over the last four years, not necessarily dwell on them but embrace them and put them into play in some regard," Johnson told reporters at Colonial on Wednesday.

"Any given week if you are playing well, you are putting pretty well, so the confidence on the greens ... the speed, and understanding the break is crucial.

"For some reason I have been able to manage to putt well on these greens, specifically the last four years."

Champion at Colonial in 2010 and again last year when he triumphed by one shot over compatriot Jason Dufner, Johnson liked the look of the classic par-70 layout the very first time he played the course.

"It just suited my eye from the very beginning, partly because for some reason I think I play pretty well in warm weather," said Johnson, a nine-times winner on the PGA Tour.

"I'm excited to be here. I love being here. I love everything about this tournament. It's a shot maker's course.

"It requires every shot in your bag, every club in your bag. Every aspect of your game has got to be on if you are going to climb the (leader) board. I just appreciate that kind of golf."

RECENT UPTICK

Johnson's best U.S. result this year was a share of 18th place at the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions, but has been encouraged by a recent uptick in form.

"It's been frustrating that I truly haven't been in contention late on Sunday," he said. "That would be my biggest frustration. I don't really get caught up in top this, top that.

"My attitude has been great. I have hit a lot of balls in February, March, April and even into May just to try to get it back. There are some things that my coach and I went back and looked at ... and now the feeling has come back."

Johnson delivered tangible proof of that when he tied for 19th in the PGA Tour's flagship Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass two weeks ago after opening with a 66 in his most recent start.

"I played really well at TPC," he said. "It (victory) didn't happen two weeks ago but it (his game) is going in the right direction, the putter is coming along.

"I like where my game is going. I'm just trying to remain patient and let things kind of happen."

American world number 13 Matt Kuchar and 15th-ranked South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, head this week's field where 18 players in the top 50 will be teeing off in Thursday's opening round.

Also competing are former Colonial winners David Toms (2011), Rory Sabbatini (2007), Tim Herron (2006), Steve Flesch (2004) and Corey Pavin (1996).

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Gene Cherry)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com