World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational field taking shape

The 2008 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational tees off the week of July 28, nearly two months from now, and a look at the field shows 69 players from around the world already qualified and several more close to punching their tickets for the final World Golf Championships event of the season.

The 69 players currently qualified are primarily tournament winners from International Federation of PGA TOUR events (with a certain Strength of Field Rating), playing members of the 2007 U.S. and International Presidents Cup Teams or playing members of the 2006 U.S. and European Ryder Cup Teams (see attached listing). Those 69 will be joined by winners of eligible events between now and the Bridgestone Invitational, and on July 21, the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking will also qualify. Anyone who moves into the top 50 by July 28 will round out the field and earn a last-minute trip to Northeast Ohio.

The current top 50 in the World Ranking includes 10 players who, if the field closed today, would qualify for the Bridgestone Invitational: Aaron Baddeley (No. 18, Australia); Niclas Fasth (No. 29, Sweden); Tim Clark (No. 33, South Africa); Justin Leonard (No. 36, United States); Brandt Snedeker (No. 37, United States); Robert Allenby (No. 40, Australia); Richard Sterne (No. 42, South Africa); Shingo Katayama (No. 43, Japan); Oliver Wilson (No. 45, England); and Jeff Quinney (No. 49, United States).

Tiger Woods, the Bridgestone Invitational defending champion, captured his 15th official World Golf Championships title at the Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year. He'll head to Firestone Country Club's South Course, July 28-August 3, looking for a seventh Bridgestone Invitational title.

Also qualified for the field are Darren Clarke and Geoff Ogilvy, the only players other than Woods who have won multiple, official-money World Golf Championships titles. Clarke won the 2000 Accenture Match Play Championship and 2003 Bridgestone Invitational and makes the Bridgestone field based on his participation in the 2006 Ryder Cup. Ogilvy won the 2006 Accenture Match Play Championship and this year's CA Championship. He qualified for the Bridgestone Invitational after representing the International Team in the 2007 Presidents Cup, although his win at the CA Championship would have also put him in the field.

Currently, 11 players are qualified who will be making their first Bridgestone Invitational start: Mark Brown (New Zealand); Daniel Chopra (Sweden); Richard Finch (England); Brenden Jones (Australia); Martin Kaymer (Sweden); Anthony Kim (United States); James Kingston (South Africa); Prayad Marksaeng (Thailand); D.J. Trahan (United States); Johnson Wagner (United States); and Steve Webster (England). All 11 have won tournaments around the world in the past nine months.

Tickets to the Bridgestone Invitational can be purchased by calling the Championship Office at 330-664-2299, calling toll free 1-877-942-4849 or by visiting ww.worldgolfchampionships.com.

For a limited time, you receive a free dozen Bridgestone golf balls with a weekly ticket purchase.