Spieth, Day And The Stars Are Back At Bridgestone

The boys are back in town.

Back-to-back weeks of golf’s top stars minus Tiger Woods this week but not next and perhaps, minus Rory McIlroy.

What we do have are Jordan Spieth and Jason Day, arguably the two hottest players on the planet, the two young stars who are favorites this week at Firestone and favorites next week in the season’s final major championship — the PGA at Whistling Straits.

It is strange not to see Tiger Woods at Firestone. He has won this WGC event eight, count that, EIGHT times. That’s a pretty good career for a lot of guys who have played on the PGA Tour. For Woods, this course has been a giant, juicy, sizzling steak that he has easily devoured over the years.

Woods’ game has fallen on uncertain times but such is not the case with Spieth and Day.

Day comes in feeling healthy for a change. His inner ear infection that caused his vertigo is under control and it showed when he won the Canadian Open two weeks ago.

Spieth has been on a tear all year and he fell just one silly shot short of a chance to win the British Open last month. He’s reached the ripe old age of 22 now and when his game clicks, he makes more putts than the law allows and wins.

Dustin Johnson is still hunting that first major and has a lot to prove. When the heat was on at the British, he wilted over the final 36 holes. He’s now two weeks away from a return to Whistling Straits where he lost out on a spot in the playoffs over confusion in the sand at the 72nd hole.

Firestone is made for Johnson, it’s a solid advantage for power, witness the success of Woods in his prime.

Here’s a rundown on some of the other contenders this week and next:

Sergio Garcia: Garcia finished runnerup to McIlroy last year. He was 13-under par, two shots shy of McIlroy’s winning score. Garcia is a factor again and his ball striking makes him a factor at Firestone and just about any other course on the planet. It all comes down to his old bugaboo — putting.

Rickie Fowler: Rickie’s on a roll. His late rally at Quicken Loans National made it interesting down the stretch but five bogeys over the final 18 holes threw cold water on hopes for victory. Clean it up and there’s no reason why Fowler can’t win this week.

Hideki Matsuyama: Simply a solid, solid player. Has all the tool needed to play his way into the winner’s circle on any given week.

Marc Leishman: Finished solo third at Firestone last year and he’s having a good season down the important home stretch.

Justin Rose: Has the perfect game for this track.

Brooks Koepka: Making this first appearance in this event but he has the power and the putting to jump into the fray.

Zach Johnson: You have to give respect to The Champion Golfer Of The Year. Besides, who else would think about eating an ear of corn with one end in the Claret Jug?

Louis Oosthuizen: With that golf swing, how does he ever hit a bad shot? Putting has been so much better this year.

Adam Scott:  Fell by the wayside over the final nine holes at the British. Time is running out on that long putter. He’s a solid bomber with a bomber’s chance at Firestone.

Final thoughts:

It’s actually a bit sad to see a field at Firestone without Woods. It would be interesting to see how he would do on one of the courses that totally fits his eye and where he has had so much success. He played two good rounds at the National but wilted when there were expectations on him in the third round. Woods may be more of a curiosity than a contender, but it’s good to have that curiosity factor in any big event.