Great Scott At Firestone

AKRON, OHIO | The obvious was wasted on no one in golf, when Adam Scott won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Sunday with Tiger Woods’ former caddie.

The right guy on the bag can make a big difference.

Scott bested the South Course at Firestone Country Club, beginning with a first-round 62 to go with 66-65 on the weekend to finish 72 holes at 17-under-par 263 and a four-shot victory.

The 31-year-old Aussie, who won his eighth tournament on the PGA Tour, has always been billed as a player with plenty of unfulfilled potential. He was best known as having mimicked Woods’ old swing, making him one of the best-looking swingers on Tour.

But despite winning The Players in 2004, he was never thought of as anyone who would threaten to win major championships. He was never a good putter and didn’t seem particularly motivated.

Now he has the last two items checked off. Having gone to a long putter, he has tremendous confidence on the greens, and the addition of Steve Williams on his bag, which began at the U.S. Open, has provided the necessary motivation. He will be one of the favorites this week at the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.

“I am,” Scott said, “really stoked.”
So will the players who filled the next four
spots on the leaderboard. Rickie Fowler and Luke
Donald, who tied for second at 13-under 267,
showed sufficiently good form at the Bridgestone
to be considered among the favorites, as well.
And Jason Day, who has two runner-up finishes
in major championships this year, was tied for
fourth with Ryo Ishikawa at 12-under 268.

The day started out with the leaderboard littered with young stars chasing Scott. Ishikawa, 19, was in the final pairing with Scott, one behind when the day began. And Ishikawa owned a share of the lead early in the round with three birdies in his first six holes.

But Scott made the turn with three birdies in his first five holes on the incoming nine, including a chip-in at the par- 3 12th and a 30-foot birdie putt on the par- 4 14th, to put sufficient distance between him and the rest of the field.

Donald, the world No. 1, vaulted up the leaderboard with a final-round 66, as did 22-year- old Fowler. Ishikawa’s run at Scott faded on the back nine and he could do no better than 1-under 69 in the final round.

Day, 23, was tied for second with Ishikawa entering the final round, but three bogeys nearly offset his four birdies and all he could manage was 69 on Sunday to share fourth place with Ishikawa.