The European Tour’s leading players will hope to continue their recent domination on the world stage when they kick off a fortnight on American soil with this week’s WGC- Bridgestone Invitational.
Having captured the last six Major Championships and four out of the last six World Golf Championship (WGC) events, the European Tour Membership heads to Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, hoping to extend that remarkable sequence.
Leading the challenge will be Rory McIlroy, who returns to the United States for the first time since winning the US Open Championship by eight strokes seven weeks ago, and Open Champion Darren Clarke, who captured the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational title in 2003.
That victory at Firestone made Clarke the second player – after Tiger Woods – to win more than one World Golf Championship title, having previously won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in 2000.
“I have not been to Akron for a couple of years, so it will be nice to get back,” said Clarke. “I’ve played well there before. I just like it. I don’t know why, I just like it.”
Clarke, who last month became the oldest Open Champion since 1967, missed the cut in last week’s Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland, and McIlroy finished in a share of 34th position.
However, World Number Five McIlroy is looking forward to being back in America for first the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and then next week’s US PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.
“It will be great to get back to the States, and see the fans who gave me such an amazing reception when I won the US Open,” said McIlroy, who finished tied ninth last year. “I’ve not managed to win a WGC event yet, and it would be a fantastic double to have this title alongside the US Open trophy.
“It will be great to get myself into contention in Akron, which is one of my favourite courses, and shoot a few good rounds, and that will give me some confidence going into the US PGA Championship, where I have done well the last couple of years.”
McIlroy and Clarke are among four reigning European Tour Major Champions in the field, along with Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel and US PGA Champion Martin Kaymer, who are both hoping to capture their maiden WGC titles. They will be joined by WGC-Accenture Match Play Champion Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, currently first and second on the Official World Golf Ranking.
A total of 35 European Tour Members are in the field this week, including Matteo Manassero, who is making his debut in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, and Simon Dyson, who sealed his place by winning the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland last week.
Threatening the European Tour challenge will be the return of the former World Number One Tiger Woods, who has won the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational an astonishing seven times.
Woods is playing for the first time since injury forced him to withdraw from the Players Championship in May, and he spearheads the American challenge along with Hunter Mahan, the defending champion who fired a closing round 64 last year to finish two strokes clear of compatriot Ryan Palmer.
Mahan said: “To win a tournament like that, with a Major-like field, was a big milestone for my career and I am definitely proud to be a champion.
“I gave myself a chance on Sunday where everything kind of came together and I put a good run together. It was a great win. I was very proud of how I played.”
