The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is the third of the World Golf Championships and it will return to Firestone Country Club for the 12th time in the tournament's 13 year existents. The first couple of years of this event it was a limited field affair open to members of previous Ryder Cup and President's Cup team members, but it changed to reflect the way the WGC-CA Championship picks it's players.
The qualification has changed over the years but for a player to qualify, he must meet at least one of the required stipulations: have been a playing member in either the most recent President's or Ryder Cup; be ranked in the Top 50 in the official World Golf Rankings one or two weeks prior to the event; or win a worldwide event with an Official World Golf Ranking field stength of 100 points or more in the last calendar year. With this the field has bloated and this year 82 players will be in the field. Before the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational began, the course was the site of the World Series of Golf. From 1982 through 1975 it was a four man showdown of the four major winners. The format changed in 1976 when it became a special invitational which invited around 50 professionals. In the history of that event only two players had won it twice, Greg Norman in 1995 & '97 and Jose Maria Olazabal in 1990 & 1994. Olazabal wins were unique, the first one in 1990 set a lot of records that nobody had been able to touch. The win in 1994 was a bit different because it was held on the North course, the only time in the World Series that the tournament was held over there. What happened was a month before the tournament all of the greens on the South course mysteriously died. At most tournaments this would cause a big stir but not at Firestone, they just switched things across the street on the North Course which was the venue for the American golf classics in the 70s. To add a nice touch Olazabal added another World Series crown and thus can say that he is the only player to win on both of Firestone's two golf courses.
In 1998 the World Series of Golf stopped and the World Golf Championship started play at Firestone and has held the event every year except for 2002 when it was held at Sahalee Country Club just outside of Seattle, Washington. Firestone C.C. has been a major part of golf. Since 1960 the South Course has held a PGA Tour event with the except of two years, in 1994 when the greens died and the tournament was moved across the street and in 2002 when the event was held in Seattle, Washington. The South Course has gone through several changes in its 70 year history. It was orginally designed by Bert Way and opened in 1929. 30 years later in 1959 the course was completely remodeled by Robert Trent Jones, who made the course what it is today. In 1986 Jack Nicklaus did some touch-up work.
The course has held more professional tournaments than any other course in America. In 1954 it was the site of the Rubber City Open which was held for five years. In 1960 the course was the venue of the PGA Championship and two years later held the World Series of Golf. Since 1960 the South Course has held a PGA Tour event with the except of two years, in 1994 when the greens died and the tournament was moved across the street and in 2002 when the event was held in Washington. It also has held three majors the 1960, '66 & '75 PGA Championship. The club also held eight CBS Golf Classics and 14 American Golf Classics. In the late 50s and early 60s it was also the site of the CBS Golf Classic, which was one of the first made for TV golf series. So there is no two ways about it, Firestone is at the forefront of professional golf.
The South course features Creeping Bent Grass and Poa Annua on the tee boxes, fairways, and greens. The 3/8" cut in the fairway provides good roll off the tee, while the skimpy 0.10" cut on the greens makes for extremely quick putting surfaces. The 4" cut of Kentucky Blue Grass and Perrennial Rye Grass in the rough is plenty long enough to penalize golfers for errant tee shots.
Above all, the South Course at Firestone is noted for its length at 7,400 yards, the Par 70. It features a 75.1 course rating and 128 slope rating. Though the slope of the course isn't too dramatic, the course still puts up a test simply because of its length. The Par 5 16th is a microchasm for the course. At 667-yards, it is one of the longest Par 5's on Tour. A green-side pond captures errant second shots by golfers trying to reach in two as well as third shots from golfers who hit a poor tee shot. Two years ago it played a big part in Tiger Woods victory when he was tied with Padraig Harrington until the Irishman took 8 on the 16th hole.
Other difficult holes include the 471-yard par 4, 4th hole which requires a long, straight tee shot followed by a high, soft approach shot to hold the elevated green. Last year it was the toughest hole on the course and 55th toughest on the PGA Tour playing to an average of 4.258. The 667-yard Par 5. 16th was given the nickname of "The Monster," which was made famous by Jack Nicklaus's miraculous par at the 1975 PGA Championship en route to a come from behind victory. It also has one of the best finishing holes in golf, the 464-yard Par 4 18th that is very narrow and is protected by bunkers to the front of the green. Last year it was the third toughest hole of the week and 194th on the PGA Tour playing to a 4.140 average.
Last year all of the bunkers were refurbished and the course played to a 70.556 average, making it the 15th hardest course on the PGA Tour.