Tune in at 2:00 PM ET for third round coverage of the WGC-Bridgestone. Gino Bottero will be liveblogging for your enjoyment.
Welcome everyone! I'll be live blogging the third round of the World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational.
The 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.
Some very interesting pairings today including Phil Mickelson with Lee Westwood, and Dustin Johnson with Rory McIlroy.
Jim Furyk and Rafael Cabrera Bello are in today's final pairing with Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Dufner playing in front of them.
Jim Furyk has converted two of his last three 36-hole leads. He has finished in the top-10 seven times at this event.
Tiger Woods rolled in a 36' 7" birdie putt on the Par 4 4th today. He's 2-under in the round.
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Leaderboard:
1. J. Furyk -11
2. R. Cabrera Bello -9
3. L. Oosthuizen -8
4. J. Dufner -7
5. K.T. Kim -6
Jim Furyk and Rafael Carbera Bello have just begun their round. They had the 2:00 PM ET tee time.
Let's pick up play on 18 with Tiger Woods.
Par 4 18th: A long birdie attempt for Tiger. His putt slid right at the hole. He tapped in for par to close out a round of 68.
That's Tiger's best round this week. He'll enter Sunday at even-par.
Playing with Tiger is Branden Grace. He played the front-9 at 5-under par and is in with a round of 66.
214 yard Par 3 15th: A beautiful tee shot by Phil Mickelson that comes to rest pin-high. He'll have a good look for birdie.
Par 4 3rd: 143 yards remaining for Luke Donald on his second shot and he runs it up the green and just below the hole. He'll tap in for birdie from there.
Par 4 1st: Rafael Cabrera Bello with a ton of trouble on 1. He missed right off the tee and into the trees. Not much of a line for his second shot and he put it into the greenside bunker. A short chip out of there didn't clear the rough. The bad breaks continued from there as he shanked his chip and nearly knocked his ball right off the green. He would two-putt from there for a double-bogey 6. Meanwhile, an uneventful par for Jim Furyk.
Par 3 15th: Phil Mickelson rolled in his short birdie putt. That gets him back to 3-over.
526 yard Par 5 2nd: A strong tee shot right into the center of the fairway from Jim Furyk.
Furyk has been the biggest beneficiary of this week's playing conditions. Knows as a course that lends itself to bombers, the firm and fast conditions we've seen have helped the players that aren't as long off the tee.
Par 4 3rd: David Toms put his second shot into the water in front of the green. He would go on to make double-bogey.
Par 4 3rd: Louis Oosthuizen was picked by many experts to go low today. He hasn't helped himself and is out of position again on 3 after missing left off the tee. He makes up for it with a stellar shot to the back-right corner of the green. He'll be happy to two-putt for par. Jason Dufner makes his second shot from the center of the fairway and reaches the green but doesn't appear to be inside Oosthuizen's ball.
Par 5 2nd: More trouble for Rafael Cabrera Bello on 5. 95 yards remaining on his 4th shot and he lands it on the green and rolls it just in behind the pin. He'll have a little more than a tap-in to save par. A monster right-to-left break on Jim Furyk's eagle attempt and he gets it close enough that he can tap in for birdie. That gets him to 12-under.
Par 4 3rd: Dufner and Oosthuizen both get in for par.
176 yard Par 3 5th: Luke Donald's tee shot got hung up in the rough just off the right side of the green.
Jim Furyk's lead was 2-shots just 20 minutes ago, now he's 4-shots clear.
471 yard Par 4 4th: Louis Oosthuizen's tee shot skipped just left and into the first cut. Jason Dufner's ball rolled in just a yard behind Oosthuizen's in that same cut.
442 yard Par 4 3rd: This tee shot is pretty well a guess on this dog-leg right but Jim Furyk makes it look easy as he shaped his tee shot perfectly and lands it right in the center of the fairway.
Par 3 5th: A three-putt for Luke Donald and he looks like he wants to snap his putter after that bogey.
Par 4 4th: Jason Dufner's second shot came up short of the green. Louis Oosthuizen puts a little more heat on his shot from virtually the same position but he missed to the left of the hole.
Par 4 3rd: Jim Furyk continues to put himself in position to pick up shots as he lands his second shot pin-high to the right of the hole. He'll have another good look for birdie.
Par 5 16th: Phil Mickelson's third shot is a beauty as he lands it in behind the hole. He'll have a short putt for birdie.
Par 4 3rd: Rafael Cabrera Bello answers back from his early struggles with a birdie. A slight left-to-right break on Jim Furyk's birdie attempt and it was enough to push his putt right of the hole. He tapped in for par.
Par 4 4th: Jason Dufner's chip was strong and well past the hole. His par attempt rolled well past the hole as well. Trying for the bogey, Dufner's putt hung up on the right side of the cup and he was forced to tap-in for the double. Louis Oosthuizen's third shot came from the bunker and he made a good one out of there, then rolled in his short par putt.
471 yard Par 4 4th: Rafael Cabrera Bello missed well left off the tee, over the cart path and into the rough. Jim Furyk went next and again found the center of the fairway.
Par 5 16th: A good look for birdie for Phil Mickelson and his putt took a right all the way around the cup and came back at him. He tapped in for par.
176 yard Par 3 5th: Louis Oosthuizen's tee shot just cleared the front of the green and is resting up against the fringe.
Decidedly European flavor to early WGCBI coverage:by 7CsGOLF via twitter 8/4/2012 6:00:49 PM
Going for Rafael-Cabrera Bello as it is only a matter of time before he wins, promising young golfer #WGCBI #lovegolfby Higgles17 via twitter 8/4/2012 6:01:07 PM
I'm at the tournament. Saw Bubba Watson, walked next to Tiger, and almost got hit by Phil Mickelson. I'd call that a successful round of golf.by T_BReeZy4 via twitter 8/4/2012 6:02:11 PM
good luck to the players at bridgestone. Hit em long!by rrives24 via twitter 8/4/2012 6:22:14 PM
Furyk's swing looks goofy as heck, but it sure does work for him. #Bridgestoneby Andy_CTOWN via twitter 8/4/2012 6:35:56 PM
