Bridgestone Invitational preview: Tiger's looking sharp

These are supposedly exciting times for golf nuts. The last of the majors hoves abruptly into view after which we hurtle relentlessly into the FedEx Cup playoff finale, all topped off with the Presidents Cup at the end of next month. With Tiger Woods back this week doing something quite exceptional - playing the week before a major - you’d think there’d be a special buzz about the place.

Seems there’s more excitement about the historic Women’s Open at St Andrews. Tiger breezes in at the last minute with hardly a stir, Phil Mickelson has been as quiet as a mouse, and hardly any other star name has put his head above the parapet.

Yet this is the perfect opportunity to size up the field for next week’s big test, especially since, as Tiger tells us, there are strong similarities between the two courses.

Most important, it should give us a clue where he is heading. He made an interesting comment this week on the contrast between this season and last. A year ago, no matter how successful he was on the field, it didn’t feel right because of what happened off, a reference to his father’s death. This year, whatever happened with his clubs felt just right, again because of events off the field. That’s as clear an admission as you’re going to get that fatherhood has taken the edge off his focus on the game.

But maybe he now he feels the need to get out of the house and into his golfing groove again, because he’s at the start of a two-month run of almost back-to-back tournaments.

Tiger can do little wrong at Firestone, as a 1-1-1-4-4-2-1-1 run confirms. “Guess that’s what happens when you get free drops from the clubhouse roof,” was Jason Sobel’s biting reflection on ESPN. As if it was necessary, we have been reminded that the roof Tiger clobbered last year remains very much in play.

The question is, are the irons he blames for Carnoustie back in play too? Our only clue is some gossip from Southern Hills, where Tiger made a quick recce this week, that he looked “really sharp". No way am I going against even a slightly sharp Tiger.
As for his main rivals:

Jim Furyk: I was going to plug him on course form alone, but even if he does now play this talk of back trouble puts me right off.
Vijay Singh: has been close here and his 2nd place last week may fire him up. This course calls for all-round strength and the stats back him on that score, but he’s lost the killer punch on Sunday.
Ernie Els: not a spectacular record here, but he’s back in form, as Carnoustie showed until Sunday.
Mickelson: Has anyone seen him? The promised summer of fun has turned into a summer of funk. We shouldn’t read too much into his dismal performance at Carnoustie, but his Firestone record has been in reverse gear too. Still, you never know what Lefty has been plotting until he hits the tees.
Sergio Garcia: Wimp or wunderkind after his Carnoustie disaster? He’s never been a strong contender here so I’m neutral.
Padraig Harrington: It’s too far down from cloud nine.
Stewart Cink: A previous winner who should have repeated last year, was 6th at Carnoustie and must be a strong fancy. The form book says yes too.
Justin Rose: 5th here in 2002 and the stats are on his side, but he still lacks punch in the crunch.
Adam Scott: 10th last year and showing signs of recovering from his recent slump. Still got a way to go though.
K J Choi: He’s still No 1 putter, great with his irons and boy can he find those fairways. His eye might be on next week’s major though.
David Toms: Ignore the missed cut in Scotland and he makes a credible case with his recent returns and course form.
Luke Donald: Has marriage done for him, because his game seems to have gone from bad to worse?
Angel Cabrera: 4th last year, the US Open winner could snag another title.
Paul McGinley: 3rd here two years ago and one of the early Carnoustie stars, he might be worth a punt.
Kenny Perry: 6th here two years ago, he hasn’t placed worse than 15th this year since regaining form five events back. His stats are almost the best in the book - 1st for distance, 2nd for greens in regulation, 6th for putting, 27th for accuracy off the tee. There’s only one person in the pack with better numbers and that’s …
Hunter Mahan: So when is his battery finally going to run down? His current run of 17-13-1-8-6-5 is eye-popping, as are his stats: 1st for greens in regulation, 3rd for putting and 4th for length and accuracy off the tee. His putting let him down when he really needed it last Sunday - was that a sign?
Andres Romero: The Argentine sensation tees off alongside Woods. What greater spur could he have to show off the exceptional skills that brought him so close at Carnoustie and victory last week? Strikes me his main problem is impetuosity.

Meanwhile, over at Reno: there’s another tournament, not that you’d know it from the threadbare media coverage. I haven’t the time to cover it separately but here’s a few thoughts:

I am a bit surprised by the level of interest in rookie Anthony Kim that has made him second favourite. The stats reflect a distinct loss of edge to his game and throw up far more worthy candidates.

This course also rewards an all-round game and favourite Lucas Glover is 3rd in my form book on that score. The two ahead of him are Charlie Wi, 2nd two weeks ago and 22nd last week, and Bob Heintz, 5th in his last two outings. But Steve Marino is also backed by the form book.

If you’re looking for slightly older and wiser heads there’s Steve Allan, who has come close here twice and is in good form, or even Tom Pernice Jr, 19th in Canada last week and with a smidgin of course form.

I’ll also be looking out for Shigeki Maruyama, who seems to be finding his feet again after a disastrous season and was 9th here last year.

I’m also tempted to say hell will freeze over before Will MacKenzie takes a back-to-back victory because his stats are rank. But the last time I did that at Reno, Vaughn Taylor lost me lot of moola.

Final question: if Tadd Fujikawa wore a skirt, would there be such little coverage of him making his professional debut at 16?