Akron, Ohio …..
Tiger Woods took off his cap to acknowledge the crowd after ending hopes a capturing a PGA Tour record of nine WGC – Bridgestone Invitational victories with a disappointing top-40 Firestone finish.
Woods had been well in contention at six-under after two rounds but a pair of 73s over the weekend handed him his poorest finish since missing the cut in June’s U.S. Open.
“It is what it is and weeks like this happen and I just wasn’t as sharp as I need to be,” he said
“The only day I putted well was the first day but I now have three more days to clean it up come Thursday.”
Tiger Woods salutes the crowd on the final day of the final WGC – Briddgestone Invitational (Photo @pgatour)
Woods is returning to St. Louis, Missouri and this week’s 100th PGA Championship and for a first time since being on the course practicing on Monday, 11th September, 2001 ahead of the WGC – AMEX Championship on this week’s host Bellerive course.
Event organisers wasted little time cancelling the event in the wake of the terrorist attack on New York and Washington and with Woods commandeering a courtesy car and taking two days to drive the 1,100 miles to his Florida residence.
“We got pulled off the course. I was playing at the time when the first plane hit,” he said.
“By the time we got in, unfortunately, we had the chance to see the second plane hit. So that was the last time I was there at Bellerive.
“So, it’s been 17 years since we were there last and from what I’ve heard it should be low scoring again next week and I’m looking forward to checking it out.”
Woods leaves Akron, Ohio having first played the course in 1996 but with the history books now showing he captured eight of the 20 WGC – Bridgestone Invitationals.
The event is being replaced next year by the WGC – FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis.
“I will miss coming here to Akron. I will miss the community and it just a fantastic event as I have been coming here for 20-years,” he said.
“There’s people out here that are camped-out on the same hole year-after-year and we’re going to miss that.”
