The WGC - Bridgestone Invitational is scheduled to start August 3-6, 2017. The Golf Channel and CBS will televise the event.
The PGA Tour begins a torrid stretch of top tournaments beginning this week in Akron, Ohio at the WGC - Bridgestone Invitational where all of the world’s best players are pegging it up.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson and newly crowned Open champion Jordan Spieth headline a betting field that features 33 of the top 35 in the FedEx Cup standings. The limited 78 player field is one of the smallest of the year, but also the most loaded.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama joins Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood at the star studded event. Matsuyama has climbed to No. 3 in the world. McIlroy has a new caddie this week after firing longtime looper J.P. Fitzgerald. Garcia got married last week and Westwood is set to make his 58th WGC start.
Other players that will garner plenty of attention this week include Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Alex Noren, Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Jon Rahm, Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and American’s Justin Thomas and Matt Kuchar.
Firestone Country Club - South measures 7,400 yards and plays to a par 70. The famous Robert Trent Jones gem has played host since 1999. It’s pretty much the same layout as it was back in the day and is one of the few old school courses that has withstood the test of time. The players love it!
Last year Dustin Johnson came up big to notch his WGC title and add to his already stacked trophy case. Johnson trailed third round leader Jason Day by three strokes with six holes to play, but three birdies by DJ and a timely double bogey by the Aussie and the tournament was over.
TV Coverage: Thursday-Friday, 1:30-6:30 p.m. ET - Golf Channel. Saturday-Sunday, noon-1:30 p.m. - Golf Channel; 2-6 p.m. - CBS.
WGC - Bridgestone Invitational Golf Odds at BookMaker.eu
Jordan Spieth +750
Rory McIlroy +850
Dustin Johnson +900
Rickie Fowler +1450
Brooks Koepka +1650
Hideki Matsuyama +1800
Jon Rahm +1950
Henrik Stenson +2050
Jason Day +2250
Justin Rose +2450
Adam Scott +2500
Sergio Garcia +2600
Paul; Casey +2750
Matt Kuchar +2900
Branden Grace +3100
Daniel Berger +3300
Marc Leishman +3500
Tommy Fleetwood +3750
Justin Thomas +4000
Alex Noren +4050
Jason Dufner +4250
Charl Schwartzel +4500
Gary Woodland +4800
Kevin Chappell +5000
Rafa Cabrera-Bello +5300
Thomas Pieters +5500
Bubba Watson +6000
Charley Hoffman +6350
Patrick Reed +6700
Louis Oosthuizen +7000
Phil Mickelson +7250
Zach Johnson +7500
Kyle Stanley +7700
Xander Schauffele +8500
Brian Harman +9000
Russell Henley +9350
Chris Wood +9500
J.B. Holmes +9800
Kevin Kisner +10000
Lee Westwood +10000
Ross Fisher +10500
Bernd Wiesberger +11000
Bill Haas +11500
Brendan Steele +12500
Bryson DeChambeau +12500
Francesco Molinari +10000
Jhonattan Vegas +12550
Matthew Fitzpatrick +13000
Si Woo Kim +15000
Andy Sullivan +15000
Billy Horschel +12500
Emiliano Grillo +13000
Jimmy Walker +15000
FIELD - Any Other Player +300
ODDS ANALYSIS
CHALK
My pick of the favorites this week is U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka +1650. The former FSU star is on a roll, has gained so much confidence in the last month that now he knows he’s one of the best in the world. He will be hungry to add another big-time trophy to his collection.
STAY AWAY
Recently married Sergio Garcia +2600 is back in action at this week’s WGC Bridgestone Invitational, a place he’s played 14 times. The problem is, there is something about the course that doesn’t bode well with the Spaniards game, in fact, he has just two top ten finishes in 14 starts. He just got hitched, his course history is lackluster at best and the reason to shy away from Garcia this week. Look elsewhere!
VALUE PICKS
The best VALUE on the betting board are two players that aren’t given much respect in the golf odds. Rafa Cabrera-Bello +5300 and Phil Mickelson +7250 have the goods to hoist the trophy this week and any week they tee it up. Bello won a few weeks ago at the Scottish Open and backed it up with a top five at the Open Championship. Mickelson knows he’s running out of time on making the President’s Cup squad this fall and when the chips are down, Lefty finds a way. Both players offer gamers the best value on the board.
The WGC - Bridgestone Invitational is scheduled to start August 3-6, 2017 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The Golf Channel and CBS will televise the event.
