Ireland’s Graeme McDowell has now played 17 rounds of competition in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational but he’s never seen the host Firestone course as tricky and playing short as it did on day one of the 2012 event.
American Jim Furyk heads the event by two strokes in signing for a seven under par 63 with England’s Lee Slattery celebrating his 34thbirthday a day earlier with a 65.
G Mac says he's never seen Firestone play so 'tricky and short' in posting a 70 on day one of the 2012 event. (Photo - Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
McDowell raced to three under par after seven holes but then dropped shots at eight and nine and while he birdied 12 he then bogeyed 15 and 17.
“I don’t think I have ever seen Firestone play this tricky and as short as it is playing,” said McDowell.
“If you miss a fairway you’re not moving it more than 50 yards, so it’s a good test out there.
“I said early in my round to my trusty steed standing here (Caddy – Ken Comboy), ‘Why isn’t the scoring not that very good?’
“I quickly discovered why. The greens are very firm and fast and I’ve never seen it play as short and so tricky.
“It’s a golf course that’s never really suited me and this is the condition and shape it needs to be in that suits me.
“I hit a lot of quality shots out there to keep me happy and it’s just that I missed a couple of fairways coming in.”
Also signing for a 70 was eight-time Bridgestone champion, Tiger Woods who bogeyed three of his closing six holes.
