Ranking Tiger's 8 WGC wins at Firestone
LeBron James isn't the only icon of the sports world that's leaving Ohio this summer.
The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is being held at Firestone Country Club in Akron for the last time this week. The venue will no longer be on the regular PGA Tour calendar starting in 2019, instead becoming a PGA Tour Champions site. Tiger Woods returns to the tournament after an impressive performance at The Open lifted him to No. 50 in the world rankings, offering him his last go-round at a course where he's won the event eight times (including two three-peats).
We're ranking Tiger's eight victories at Firestone as the 42-year-old hunts title No. 9.
No. 8: 2005
Final Score: 6-under
Margin of victory: 1 shot
After missing his first cut in 142 starts earlier in the year, Woods returned with a vengeance in the latter part of the season, including finding the winner’s circle at Firestone.
Although he trailed Kenny Perry heading into the back nine, Woods made a long birdie putt on No. 16 and saved a crucial par on No. 18 after a poor drive to defeat Chris DiMarco by one.
No. 7: 2009
Final Score: 12-under
Margin of victory: 4 shots
Woods missed the 2008 tournament due to injury, but picked up right where he left off (he won in 2005, 2006, and 2007), coming from three shots back of Padraig Harrington - who'd won The Open and the PGA Championship while Woods was on the mend - to defeat the Irishman and Robert Allenby by four.
No. 6: 1999
Final Score: 10-under
Margin of victory: 1 shot
It was Woods’ first WGC win, and it was the start of a four-tournament winning streak to end his season.
Woods led by five going into the final round after shooting a 62 on Saturday. He stalled Sunday and eventually won by one shot over Phil Mickelson (who shot a 65 that day) to begin an unprecedented run of dominance at this event.
No. 5: 2007
Final Score: 8-under
Margin of victory: 8 shots
Woods went into Sunday a shot back of Rory Sabbatini, who he'd edged by four shots at the Wells Fargo Championship earlier in 2007. The brash South African declared Woods "more beatable than ever," and many were looking forward to the final-round pairing.
It wasn't much of a battle. Woods dominated, shooting a 65, and won by eight over Sabbatini and Justin Rose.
No. 4: 2006
Final Score:10-under
Margin of victory: Won in a playoff
Thanks to a little luck in the second round, Woods was able to carry a one-shot lead into the weekend before eventually defeating Stewart Cink in a playoff.
Woods' approach on the ninth hole Friday bounced off a cart path, landed on the roof of the clubhouse, and couldn't be found. A kitchen worker who'd been outside later returned it to Woods' caddie after it apparently rolled off the building. Woods made bogey.
Cink nearly defeated him on the first three playoff holes (he just missed chipping in for birdie on the first playoff hole, missed a birdie putt on the second, and missed a short par putt on the third) but Woods drained his own birdie try - finally - on playoff hole No. 4.
No. 3: 2013
Final Score:15-under
Margin of victory: 7 shots
Woods' 2013 Bridgestone trump was his fifth win of the season. He went on to win Player of the Year but hasn't found the winner's circle since due to personal issues and injuries that threatened his career.
But Woods was acting like his much younger self in Akron in 2013.
Following a decent start - he was 4-under-par after the first round and two shots back of the lead - Woods rocketed up the leaderboard with a 61 on Friday, tying his lowest recorded score at Firestone. He had a chance for a 59 but made five straight pars to close out his round.
No. 2: 2001
Final Score: 12-under
Margin of victory: Won in playoff
Two hours.
That’s how long a seven-hole playoff between Woods and Jim Furyk took before Woods finally made a birdie to Furyk’s bogey on the par-4 18th.
Woods shot a 69 to catch Furyk (who led by two going into Sunday) but both players bogeyed the 72nd hole to end up tied. They played No. 18 four times and No. 17 three times before Woods finally emerged as the winner after Furyk missed three birdie tries.
No.1: 2000
Final Score: 21-under
Margin of Victory: 11 shots
This one went down in history for what Woods did on the 72nd hole as twilight descended on the course.
The tournament had been delayed three hours due to rain, but with Woods leading by 11 and the result a formality, no one wanted to continue play Monday. That’s what set up the famous "shot in the dark," and camera flashes illuminated Woods' final birdie try.
The victory was one of Woods' eight on the year (including three major championships).
Woods was as good as ever in 2000, and his 11-shot victory at Firestone Country Club was dominance personified.