5 THINGS: Dull Firestone and glory's last shot

Firestone has become tedious – Kiawah Island should be anything but

1 Bridgestone needs new date

2 Firestone needs a rest

3 Alternative formats revive interest

4 Matthew stars again in Ireland

5 Kiawah will be thrilling

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The WGC Bridgestone needs a new date…

It should be a highlight of the year – one of the three strokeplay World Golf Championships. Yet it feels like nothing more than a vaguely convenient stop en route to this week’s PGA Championship.

This year it has seemed especially inconsequential, what with the Olympics on and a gap of just two and half weeks between one Major (the Open) concluding and the next starting.

You get the impression that half of the field are just turning up for the world ranking points and the chance to fine-tune their games for the PGA.

Compare that to the season’s other two American-based WGCs. The matchplay, in February, is the best of the bunch and always compelling.

The second, at Doral in March, heralds the beginning in earnest of the new season and the countdown to Augusta. Whereas the Bridgestone is simply uninspiring.

All the best players in the world are in attendance. It deserves better.

… And the WGC Bridgestone needs a new venue

Part of the problem is surely the course. Firestone, in Ohio, has become tedious. See the view from the blimp to find out why – back and forth, back and forth back and forth. The holes are straight, and most are indeterminable from the next.

There are only two par 5s, and one of those (16th) goes on forever.

Most of the field shoot 72 four times and are never in contention. A few get to -10 and have their own little event.

Start well and stay up there all week. Open with a 74 and you sink without trace.

It’s time for a fresh look.

Alternatives to strokeplay are welcome

Few would deny that 72 holes of strokeplay identifies a deserving winner and it will always be the ultimate examination paper. Yet there is surely scope for experimentation and the return of a modified stableford event following the demise of the International in Colarado a few years ago is welcome.

Sure, Reno-Tahoe is an alternative-field event and will always play second fiddle to the main event it is opposite.

Nonetheless, plenty would rather have watched players trying to make birdies and eagles at all costs and playing attacking golf.

There must be a place for events and formats like this – just spare us anymore pro-ams.

The dunhill Links is just about acceptable once a year – anything else resembling the Pebble Beach Pro-am would be unbearable.

You get the impression half the field are just fine-tuning for the PGA.

Catriona in great shape for Ricoh

The ladies returned to Killeen Castle for the first time since last year’s magnificent Solheim Cup, when Europe defied all the odds to beat America.

Catriona Matthew was quite outstanding in County Meath last Setember and almost a year later who was still clearly feeding off the memories, leading wire to wire and holding off her Solheim teammate Suzann Pettersen, who mounted a late charge.

It is just over a month until the Ricoh Women’s British Open is played, and Royal Liverpool will be the venue for the first time.

Mid-Sepember is a new slot for the Ricoh and it might just work. Certainly it was in danger of being an afterthought in late July, overshadowed by the Open and Senior Open the two weeks before it.

And on this evidence, don’t bet against Matthew, champion at Lytham in 2009, adding a second Major to her enduring CV.

Kiawah promises drama

As ever, the final Major of the season is hardly lacking in storylines. The latest one concerns a steely Jim Furyk who led for the whole week at the Bridgestone and once more will have his backers in a Major championship.

Expect Kiawah Island, venue for the infamous 1991 Ryder Cup, to play long, be very hot at times and for the wind to blow at least a little. And for the tournament to be decided at the long par-3 17th over water.

It should suit the likes of Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Lee Westwood, to name but three.

They call it glory’s last shot – it is another gloriously open Major championship.

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By Dan Murphy
on 05 August 2012

5 THINGS: Dull Firestone and glory's last shot

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