WGC Bridgestone Invitational betting odds
6th August, 2009
Having put his Open Championship disappointment behind him with success at the Buick Open last week Tiger Woods heads to his favourite venue on Thursday looking for a fifth PGA Tour title of the season.
The WGC Bridgestone Invitational continues to attract one of the strongest fields of the year to Firestone but Woods’ dominance in this event borders on the ridiculous and he’ll be supremely confident of making it four wins in five years and a magnificent seven in total.
Vijay Singh triumphed last season, with Woods absent through injury, and you have to go way back to 2004 to find the last time anybody beat the great man here.
That man was Stewart Cink and having landed his first Major Championship at Turnberry a fortnight ago the American is a likely contender. So too is Singh, having seemingly rediscovered his game in recent months, but Woods cannot be overlooked given that he gave the field an eight shot lead early doors last week before triumphing and the 7/4 on offer, with Betfred, looks fair.
This week Firestone also witnesses the return to competitive golf of Phil Mickelson, following time off for personal reasons, and he is installed as second favourite. Phil's efforts here have been below par more often than not however and no matter how hard one tries to find a creditable alternative to the greatest ever it’s an impossible task – even at cramped odds.
The fact that Woods trades below the 2/1 mark should not deter anybody from backing the world’s number one player. In eight visits here Tiger has a second and a fourth in addition to those six wins and that record alone surely makes him closer to an even money shot.
Throw in the fact that he has won four times in 10 strokeplay starts this season, including his latest, plus the lack of credentials of his nearest rivals then the price borders on the generous and I'm much happier to be a backer than a layer.
By Tom Allen
