FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
It was a case of picking up where he left off for Swede Henrik
Stenson, who maintained his rich vein of form with a flawless five
under par 65 in the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone
Invitational.
The 37 year old enjoyed a fine fortnight in Scotland last month,
finishing third in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open
and runner-up in The Open Championship at Muirfield, and he
opened with a birdie-eagle start at Firestone Country Club in
Akron, Ohio.
He finished the round one shot shy of American Webb Simpson
He finished the round one shot shy of American Webb Simpson
and one ahead of a group of four players which included
Englishman Chris Wood, Tiger Woods, winner here seven times
previously, and defending champion Keegan Bradley.
Stenson said: "It's not the worst way to start a round at Akron. On
the first, I was in the left rough, but played a really nice lob wedge
to five feet - a high hooky one to take a bit of spin off and get the
extra yardage I needed - and knocked it in from five feet.
"Then I hit a three wood and a three iron to the back of the green
"Then I hit a three wood and a three iron to the back of the green
on the second. It was a really slick putt and it was going in with
some pace, so I think I would have been a nice ten footer coming
back up if it didn't hit the back of the cup. That was a lovely start.
"Then I played nicely most of the way round, had some chances,
"Then I played nicely most of the way round, had some chances,
missed a few here and there, but I was in a decent position to get
back into play. A five under bogey-free round here is not
something you do every day, so I'm very pleased with the start."
Wood was out of action for most of May and June with a
recurrence of a back injury, so he was delighted to make such a
good start in his first appearance in this event.
"I have to mention James and the greenkeepers at my home club
of Long Ashton for their help last week," he said. "They double-cut
and rolled the putting green for me to make it very quick like here.
I made sure cider vouchers were left behind the bar for everyone
to enjoy a drink."
Luke Donald opened with a three under par 67, while his fellow
Englishmen Justin Rose and Ian Poulter both signed for a 69, and
Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy bogeyed the last for level par.
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
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