History: Bridgestone Invitational

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The World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational is one of three World Golf Championships events, which debuted in 1999. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours.

Eligibility for the Bridgestone Invitational is determined as follows:

• Playing members of the last named United States and International Presidents Cup teams.
• Playing members of the last named United States and European Ryder Cup teams.
• If not otherwise eligible, players ranked among the top 50, including any players tied for 50th place, on the Official World Golf Ranking as of the Monday prior to and the Monday of tournament week.
• If not otherwise eligible, tournament winners of worldwide events since the prior year's Bridgestone Invitational with an Official World Golf Ranking strength-of-field rating of 115 points or more.
• If not otherwise eligible, the winner of one selected tournament from the PGA Tour of Australasia, Sunshine Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

Tiger Woods won the first three tournaments, which were all played at Firestone Country Club.

Woods beat Phil Mickelson by one stroke in a closely contested inaugural event in 1999, then shot a tournament-record 21 under to win by 11 in 2000. Woods made a memorable birdie at the 72nd hole that year with darkness settling in and flash bulbs popping. In 2001, Woods won an exciting seven-hole playoff with Jim Furyk to take home the title.

The 2002 event was contested at the Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash. Australian Craig Parry shot 15-under par and won by four -- marking his first win in the United States and the 19th of an international career.

In 2003, the competition returned to Firestone Country Club with Darren Clarke claiming the title by four strokes. This was Clarke's second World Golf Championships victory.

In 2004, Stewart Cink lead the tournament from wire-to-wire and recorded an impressive four-stroke victory over Tiger Woods and Rory Sabbatini. The victory was Cink's fourth on the PGA TOUR and first in the World Golf Championships series that brings together the best players in the world.

In 2005, Woods claimed the title for a fourth time with a one-shot victory over Chris DiMarco. The highlight of Woods' final round was making a 17-foot birdie putt on Firestone's infamous 16th hole.

In 2006, Woods successfully defended his title in a closely-contested playoff with Stewart Cink. Woods birdied the fourth playoff hole for his fifth career World Golf Championships victory in Akron.

In 2007, Tiger Woods shot a final round 65 to complete an impressive eight-stroke victory over Justin Rose and Rory Sabbatini. Woods was the only player in the field to finish under par. The victory was Woods' third in a row at Firestone Country Club and sixth overall at the venue.

In 2008, Vijay Singh won the Bridgestone Invitational to capture his first World Golf Championships event, as well as notch his 32nd PGA TOUR victory, putting him in the record books for most PGA TOUR wins by an international player.