Last week was the usual post-major lull as the top players in the world took a break after dealing with Oakmont in U.S. Open conditions for a week. Billy Hurley III became the best story of the golf year with his win at Congressional and this week we get a return of the biggest names in golf as they descend on Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
That's not a bad way to come back from the U.S. Open and for many players this will be their last chance to play before the British Open at Royal Troon after the cancellation of the Greenbrier Classic.
Let's go inside the numbers for the 2016 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
9 -- The number of players not named Tiger Woods that have won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational since the event debuted in 1999.
Tiger Woods' dominance over the PGA Tour in the early to mid-2000s was never more apparent than his run through the World Golf Championship events, particularly the WGC-Bridgestone. From the first time the event was held at Firestone in 1999 to 2013, Woods won eight of 15 times, including six of the first nine. He didn't finish out of the top 5 until 2010 -- he was a DNP in 2008.
With the general strength of the PGA Tour right now from top-to-bottom and the lack of a clear favorite like Woods in each event, it seems impossible that anyone in this era will match his eight wins at a single event -- which he's done at both Firestone and Bay Hill. Of active players, Phil Mickelson's four wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am are the most at a single event. (Rory McIlroy has two wins at the PGA and the Wells Fargo.)
7 -- The number of players in the top 10 of the world golf rankings in the field this week. WGC events always have some of the strongest fields in golf, partially because of their exclusivity, and this week's field certainly has star power, but it's missing a number of European stars. The French Open is also this week and most players that split time between the European Tour and the PGA Tour have elected to play in France, including Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett -- Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson aren't playing in either event.
14 -- The average winning score at the WGC-Bridgestone since 2010 has been 14-under. Firestone is one of the more revered courses on the PGA Tour schedule, but those that find a way to win this event tend to find plenty of red numbers on their way to victory. Expect to see the winner double-digits under par again this week.
3 -- The number of major champions since 2014 to back up a major win with a win in their next PGA Tour start -- Jason Day (2015 PGA and 2015 Barclays), Jordan Spieth (2015 U.S. Open and 2015 John Deere) and Rory McIlroy (2014 British Open and 2014 WGC-Bridgestone). That's some inspiration for Dustin Johnson, who looks to avoid any major hangover this week in his first event since winning the U.S. Open.
