This week, 75 of the best players in the world head to Firestone Country Club this week for the third World Golf Championship event of the season. Rory won’t be around to defend his title so we’ve taken a look at which European Tour players could take home the WGC Bridgestone Invitational trophy this year? Here’s five names to add to yourFantasy Race To Dubaithis week.
Justin Rose
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Following a tough start to the year, during which he missed three of four cuts at one stage, Justin Rose has transformed his form around and arrives in Ohio as one of the favourites this week. In his last six starts in America, Rose has one win, two runner up finishes and one other top five. Following a top ten at The Open in St Andrews, Rose flew to the States and finished fourth at last week’s Quicken Loans National. He is currently fourth in Greens in Regulation on The European Tour and ranks first in approaches from 175 to 200 yards on the PGA Tour, which will serve the Englishman well at the 7,300 yard, par 70 course at Firestone. He’s finished in the top five at this event four times in his career, including two of the last three seasons.
Henrik Stenson
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If anyone is due for a big win, it’s the Iceman. In his last 35 events, Henrik Stenson has finished inside the top five 14 times and missed the cut just once. Currently he’s the only player on The European Tour hitting more than 80 per cent of greens, a category in which he’s finished in the top 15 in each of the last three seasons. The Swede has finished in the top 20 here the last two seasons including a runner up finish in 2013, when he led the tournament behind Tiger Woods, who won by seven shots. A runner up finish at the BMW International Open five weeks ago was his third second place finish since winning the DP World Tour Championship last season. He’ll be extremely keen to pick up his first win of the season this week at a big event.
Louis Oosthuizen
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Having been forced to play a concise schedule so far this year due to injury, Louis Oosthuizen is making the most of the 2015 season. The South African became just the fourth man in history to finish runner up at both The Open and US Open in the same season after losing in a play-off in St Andrews. His form in big events has been impressive with top ten finishes at both WGC events this year and a top 20 finish at Augusta. He has the lowest stroke average of any player on The European Tour with more than 20 rounds this season and has finished in the top ten in two of his four appearances at this event.
Brooks Koepka
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The 2014 European Tour Rookie of the Year is in rich form ahead of his first WGC Bridgestone Invitational appearance. Brooks Koepka has finished inside the top 25 in each of his last five worldwide starts including a top ten at The Open in St Andrews. The 25 year old appears to own the perfect game for Firestone CC, ranking eighth in driving distance on the PGA Tour whilst also ranking in the top ten in Strokes Gained Putting.
Byeong Hun An
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Another WGC Bridgestone Invitational rookie this week is the winner of The European Tour’s flagship event. Byeong Hun An has enjoyed an incredible rise to the top of the game this season, having picked up his first professional win on the Challenge Tour just less than a year ago. The Korean broke onto the scene when he became the youngest player in history to win the US Amateur in 2009 and quickly made his mark on The European Tour winning the BMW PGA Championship by six shots in what is his rookie season. Currently, he’s one of only two players on The European Tour that rank inside the top 20 in Stroke Average, Driving Distance and Greens in Regulation (other: Madeira Islands Open winner Roope Kakko).
That’s our picks, so what about yours? Be sure and pick yourFantasy Race To Dubailine up before the first round tees off on Thursday.
