World Number 1 Tiger Woods cruised to a final round of 70 to win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club by seven shots from fellow American Keegan Bradley and Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

It was Tiger’s 79th PGA Tour title and his eighth victory in this event. He will go into next week’s USPGA Championship at Oak Hill as the heavy favourite.

After setting up this win with a superb second round of 61, nobody in the field ever came near to threatening Tiger’s lead. During the final round it was never less than six strokes.

Woods played the last round with supreme control, making 16 pars, one birdie and one bogey. He played to the centre of greens and never took on challenging pins. A three-putt on the 14th was his only stumble and he jogged across the line, seven strokes clear. With 79 career victories on the PGA Tour, Woods is now just three behind Sam Snead’s record of 82 titles.

“This week was nice,” he said. “I was able to get the lead and I held it.”

With Tiger so far in front, the real battle at Firestone was for second place. In the end it was defending champion Keegan Bradley and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson who shared it.

“It was a really weird feeling because it was like a tournament within a tournament, I felt like,” Bradley said. “Coming in second is a big accomplishment considering Tiger had such a big lead.”

Veteran Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez followed a third round of 65 with a closing 69 to end the week in a tie for fourth with Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner.

England’s Chris Wood couldn’t find any birdies on the run for home and had to settle for a tie for seventh.

WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio
Aug 1-4, purse $8,750,000, par 70

1   Tiger Woods (USA)   66   61   68   70   265   $1,500,000
T2   Keegan Bradley (USA)   66   68   71   67   272   $692,500
T2   Henrik Stenson (Swe)   65   70   67   70   272   $692,500
T4   Miguel Angel Jimenez (Esp) 71 69   65   69   274   $321,667
T4   Zach Johnson (USA)   69   70   68   67   274   $321,667
T4   Jason Dufner (USA)   67   69   67   71   274   $321,667
T7   Bill Haas (USA)      67   68   69   71   275   $205,000
T7   Chris Wood (Eng)      66   68   70   71   275   $205,000
T9   Luke Donald (Eng)   67   69   68   72   276   $145,750
T9   Jim Furyk (USA)      67   69   72   68   276   $145,750
T9   Martin Kaymer (Ger)   74   67   69   66   276   $145,750
T9   Richard Sterne (RSA)   70   68   70   68   276   $145,750

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Where next?
RICOH Women’s British Open: Stacy Lewis takes the title