FLAWLESS FIVE-UNDER 65 BY STENSON AT BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL

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 

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 

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, 

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.

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