Tune in at 2:00 PM ET on Sunday for final round coverage of the WGC-Bridgestone. Gino Bottero will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
Welcome everyone! I'll be live blogging the final round of the World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational.
This event is being held at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
South Course | Par 70 | Yardage: 7400
Proceeds from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as well as the Tickets Fore Charity program will be distributed to charitable efforts throughout Northeast Ohio.
Purse: $8,500,000
Winning Share: $1,400,000
FedExCup Points: 550
Past Champions:
2011: Adam Scott
2010: Hunter Mahan
2009: Tiger Woods
2008: Vijay Singh
2007: Tiger Woods
Round 1 Recap: Perfect scoring conditions for the players on Thursday. Jim Furyk started his day on the back nine, shooting a 4-under, then played the front nine at 3-under to set the pace at 7-under par. Lee Slattery finished the round alone in 2nd at 5-under par. Slattery began his round on the back nine, then started the front nine with four consecutive birdies. Notable names inside the group of six players at 4-under include World Number 1 Luke Donald and Masters Champion Bubba Watson. Donald started on the back and birdied his first three holes of the day. Tiger Woods struggled with the putter in his hands. He was at 3-under par through 12 holes, but made three bogeys over the final six holes for an even-par 70. Tiger opened with a round in the 70s for just the second time in 13 appearances at Firestone. Defending champion Adam Scott opened with a round of 1-over 71.
Round 2 Recap: Another strong scoring day on Friday with firm and fast conditions evening the field for players that aren't as long off the tee. Jim Furyk played both the front and back at 2-under par for a round of 66. That moved kept him 2-strokes clear at 11-under. Rafael Cabrera Bello made consecutive birdies on 2 and 3, then again on 10 and 11, carding a second round 65 to get to 9-under. Louis Oosthuizen carded five birdies in a bogey-free second round to get to 8-under. Jason Dufner shot a round of 66 to get to 7-under. Tiger Woods had 2 birdies and 4 bogeys in a round of 72 to fall back to 2-over par through 36-holes. He made it through to the weekend because there is no cut in this tournament, as did Rickie Fowler who shot a second round 80.
Round 3 Recap: Jim Furyk remained atop the leaderboard when play concluded on Saturday. His lead would reach as high as 5-strokes but would fall to just a single shot when all was said and done. Furyk carded an even-par 70 on the day to remain at 11-under. Most players that began their rounds late in the day went in the wrong direction on the leaderboard, but Louis Oosthuizen shot a 68 to get to 10-under and finish just 1-stroke back of the lead. Keegan Bradley moved into the third spot on the leaderboard, getting to 7-under with a round of 67. Rory McIlroy and Steve Stricker would round out the top-5, tying for fourth at 6-under with rounds of 67 and 68 respectively. Tiger Woods shot a 68 on Saturday.
They're playing in threesomes off split tees today in hopes of getting today's round in. Tournament officials had pushed up tee times this morning after looking at weather reports, with players beginning play right around 8:00 AM ET, but the thunderstorms arrived early and led to a long delay this morning.
You would have to figure that with a major tournament on the schedule for next week tournament officials will do all they can to get this tournament finished today and not force the players to come back on Monday.
The course has played very firm and fast in the first three rounds and the rain coming down will greatly change the course's complexion. The course will play a fair bit longer today so give the advantage back to the bombers. They'll be playing ball in hand which you have to think will help the players chasing the lead.
Jim Furyk is in the final group with Louis Oosthuizen and Keegan Bradley. In front of them are Rory McIlroy, Steve Stricker, and Bo Van Pelt.
Birdie-birdie starts for both Furyk and Oosthuizen have made this a two horse race. Furyk added another birdie on the 3rd and there are no other players within 5-strokes of his lead.
WGC-Bridgestone Leaderboard:
1. J. Furyk -14
2. L. Oosthuizen -12
T3. K. Bradley -8
T3. R. McIlroy -8
T5. S. Stricker -7
T5. J. Rose -7
That's a good question. It means that the players can lift, clean, and place their balls when in the fairway. Many golf purists call it 'lift, clean, and cheat'.
Tiger Woods is bogey-free today, with 4 birdies on his card through 11 holes.
Let's pick up play on 5 with the final group.
187 yard Par 3 5th: Jim Furyk missed off the tee to the back-right corner of the green, just into the fringe. His putt rolled a fair bit past the hole but he would make his par putt from the other side. Louis Oosthuizen with a solid drive to the center of the green to set up a decent birdie attempt. His putt slid right. A few feet for him to clean up and he pushed that short putt right and around the lip of the cup. He tapped in for bogey. Keegan Bradley missed right off the tee and found the sand. He chipped out of there and made his short par putt.
161 yard Par 3 12th: Tiger Woods with a solid tee shot to the front of the green that will give him a good uphill birdie try. 11' 10" for birdie with a right-to-left break and he didn't give that break the respect it deserved and his putt missed to the left. He tapped in for par.
469 yard Par 4 6th: Jim Furyk missed right off the tee and into the rough. Louis Oosthuizen missed right off the tee and into the first cut. Up ahead on the green, Rory McIlroy with a long birdie attempt and he missed right all the way. He made his short par putt.
216 yard Par 3 7th: Steve Stricker with a good tee shot to the front-left corner of the green and he'll have a good uphill try for birdie. Rory McIlroy's tee shot came up just short of the green.
Par 4 6th: Jim Furyk's second shot came out of some real gnarly grass and he came up well short of the green, but is in the center of the fairway. Keegan Bradley's second shot came from the center of the fairway and he wasn't happy to see it land in the far right corner of the putting surface. Louis Oosthuizen missed right of the green with his second shot and into the sand.
Par 3 7th: Rory McIlroy chipped up the green and set up a short par putt for himself. A big left-to-right break on Steve Stricker's birdie attempt and he left it just high before tapping in for par.
Par 4 6th: Louis Osthuizen left himself a fair par putt after his chip out of the sand and he rolled it in. Jim Furyk's third shot from the center of the fairway rolled a few feet past the hole. On his par attempt, he saw some left-to-right break where there was none and missed his putt left. He tapped in for bogey. Keegan Bradley made par.
216 yard Par 3 7th: Keegan Bradley's tee shot landed on the far right side of the green. Louis Oosthuizen landed his ball in the front-right corner of the green and Jim Furyk's ball landed a yard in front of Oosthuzien's.
Par 4 13th: A very long birdie attempt for Tiger Woods slid left and he tapped in for par to remain at 4-under.
Par 3 7th: Keegan Bradley is first away at 41' 5" out but he rolls in his very long birdie putt to move to 9-under. Louis Oosthuizen's putt rolled right of the hole. He made his short par putt. Jim Furyk appeared to have the line on his long birdie attempt but he left it just short and tapped in for par.
482 yard Par 4 8th: Keegan Bradley kept his tee shot in the fairway and got a big kick forward. Louis Oosthuizen kept his tee shot just inside the left side of the fairway. Jim Furyk kept his tee shot in the center of the fairway. Up ahead on the green, Rory McIlroy with a long birdie attempt and he left it high. He'll tap in for par. Steve Stricker rolled in his long birdie attempt and that gets him to 8-under.
Par 4 14th: 166 yards remaining for Tiger Woods and he'll go with an 8 iron. His second shot stuck to the fringe at the left side of the green.
494 yard Par 4 9th: Rory McIlroy missed left off the tee and into the rough. Up ahead on the green, Justin Rose left his birdie attempt short.
Par 4 8th: Jim Furyk landed his second shot just inside the front of the green. Louis Oosthuizen's second shot came to rest well right of the hole. Keegan Bradley with the best shot of the bunch, landing his ball about pin high and to the left of the hole.
223 yard Par 3 15th: Tiger Woods' tee shot landed on the green a fair distance left of the flag.
Par 4 8th: Jim Furyk left his long birdie attempt a few feet short and made his short par putt. Keegan Bradley expected some right-to-left break on his birdie try but there was none. He tapped in for par. Louis Oosthuizen left his birdie attempt short and tapped in for par.
Par 3 15th: Tiger Woods missed well right on his birdie attempt. He showed Matt Kuchar what not to do and Kuchar rolled in his long birdie attempt from virtually the same spot.
494 yard Par 4 9th: Keegan Bradley missed left off the tee and into the rough. Jim Furyk kept his tee shot just inside the right side of the fairway. Louis Oosthuizen missed right and into the rough. Up ahead on the green, Steve Stricker's birdie attempt finished short of the hole. He tapped in for par. A long par putt for Rory McIlroy and it slid left. He tapped in for bogey.
WGC-Bridgestone Leaderboard:
1. J. Furyk -13
2. L. Oosthuizen -11
3. K. Bradley -9
4. S. Stricker -8
T5. R. McIlroy -7
T5. J. Rose -7
Go jimmy go!!! #bridgestone #pgatourby alyssa_marie93 via twitter 8/5/2012 6:16:00 PM
Rain delay coming at the Bridgestone. I can feel it.by bcm41 via twitter 8/5/2012 6:16:11 PM
Louis Oostehuizen's still in good spot. @McIlroyRory playin well too. #bridgestone #wgcby amukudu via twitter 8/5/2012 6:17:00 PM
Looks like @Keegan_Bradley grew a beard during the rain delay @WGC_Bridgestone. #scruffylife :)by Twitt4Win via twitter 8/5/2012 6:24:22 PM
#greatestsportsmanever = Nick Faldoby wezcooze via twitter 8/5/2012 6:32:22 PM
Hard to believe its been nearly 2 years since Jim Furyk last won.by TheCraigEvans via twitter 8/5/2012 6:36:45 PM
The Ricky Bobby of the PGA Tour in the lead at the Bridgestone. The "Fashion Police" have been alerted. Needs serious help. Bad threads!by jamies18 via twitter 8/5/2012 6:45:58 PM
As expected, some big names on top at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational, Should be a good finish to the final round!by ExcellentGolf via twitter 8/5/2012 6:58:12 PM
