Golf's rising stars qualify for Bridgestone Invitational

With his victory at the AT&T National, 23-year-old Anthony Kim continued a trend in which some of the game's best young golfers have found success at events around the world. And with less than a month remaining until the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club, Kim is now one of 17 players in their 20s who are already qualified for this year's event, to be held July 28-Aug. 3 in Akron, Ohio.

Kim earned his second victory of the year last week in his 42nd career start on the PGA TOUR at the age of 23 years, 17 days -- two months and two days after his last win at the Wachovia Championship. His victory at the Wachovia Championship made Kim the 13th player since 1970 to win on the PGA TOUR before the age of 23, and the fourth player to do so since 2000, joining Sergio Garcia, David Gossett and Sean O'Hair.

The last two players with multiple TOUR victories in one season under the age of 24 were Adam Scott (2004), who won THE PLAYERS Championship and the Booz Allen Classic at the age of 23, and Garcia (2001), who won the both the MasterCard Colonial and the Buick Classic at the age of 21.

Speaking of Scott and Garcia, they are also part of the group of nine players in their 20s who have won on the PGA TOUR this year and are qualified for the Bridgestone Invitational:

Another 20-something already qualified for the Bridgestone Invitational is 2007 European Tour Rookie of the Year Martin Kaymer, 23, who has won twice on the European Tour in 2008 at the Abu Dhabi Championship and the BMW International Open.

Other players in their 20s who are qualified include: Hunter Mahan, Charles Howell III and Lucas Glover (via participation in The Presidents Cup 2007); Nick Dougherty (2007 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship); Ross Fisher (2008 European Open); Pablo Larrazal (2008 Open de France ALSTOM); and Justin Rose (2007 Volvo Masters).

On July 21, the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking qualify for the final World Golf Championships event of the season, and 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 11 players who, if the field closed today, would qualify for the Bridgestone Invitational (20-somethings in bold-faced type): Aaron Baddeley (No. 22, Australia); Robert Allenby (No. 30, Australia); Tim Clark (No. 35, South Africa); Brandt Snedeker (No. 38, United States); Rod Pampling (No. 43, Australia); Niclas Fasth (No. 44, Sweden); Oliver Wilson (No. 46, England); Shingo Katayama (No. 47, Japan); Rocco Mediate (No. 48, United States); Fredrik Jacobson (No. 49, Sweden), Camilo Villegas (No. 50, Columbia).

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 players will be joined by winners of eligible events between now and the Bridgestone Invitational, as well as those inside the top 50 in the World Ranking, as described above.

Tickets to the Bridgestone Invitational can be purchased by calling the Championship Office at 1-877-942-4849, logging on to www.worldgolfchampionships.com or visiting Acme Fresh Market.