Woods commits to Bridgestone, will seek eighth win at Firestone

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Tiger Woods announced Wednesday he will defend his World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational title next week at Firestone Country Club.

Woods has won seven times at Firestone, including last year when he rallied in the final round to beat Padraig Harrington and Robert Allenby by four shots. In the process, he became the first player to win a stroke-play event seven times on the same golf course on either the PGA TOUR or the European Tour.

Woods has never finished lower than fourth at the Bridgestone Invitational.

The No. 1-ranked Woods will be playing for the first time since the British Open at St. Andrews, where he tied for 23rd. Woods has yet to win in seven starts this year.

A two-time winner of the FedExCup, Woods is currently 107th in the FedExCup standings. The top 125 after the Wyndham Championship will make the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

On Tuesday, one of Woods' U.S. Presidents Cup teammates, Anthony Kim, announced he would play the Bridgestone Inviational. It will be Kim's first tournament since having wrist surgery three months ago.

If not otherwise qualified, the winner of this week's The Greenbrier Classic on the PGA TOUR and 3 Irish Open on the European Tour would have the opportunity to join Woods and Kim in the field at the Bridgestone Invitational. Though not official until after plays starts Thursday, both events currently have an Official World Golf Ranking Strength of Field Rating of at least 115 points.

In addition, any player not otherwise qualified who moves into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday, Aug. 2, will earn a last-minute trip to Akron.

The field for the Bridgestone Invitational again includes playing members of the last named Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams, winners of tournaments from around the world since the 2009 Bridgestone Invitational whose victories are considered official and have an Official World Golf Ranking strength of field rating of 115, and the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.