Firestone always seems the perfect place for Tiger Woods to show his best stuff.
This year, the timing could not have been much better.
In the final event before the final major of the year, Woods buried Rory Sabbatini and the rest of the field Sunday at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, for an eight-shot victory, sending his confidence soaring Sunday as he left for Southern Hills and the PGA Championship at Tulsa, Okla.
“This might just give me a little more confidence,” Woods said.
It was a command performance on a challenging course, reminiscent of some of his major victories.
He was determined to play the final round without a bogey, just like the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and Woods showed more emotion over saving par with a 12-foot putt on the final hole than any of his birdies in his 5-under-par 65. He finished at 8-under 272.
He was the only player to finish under par at Firestone; the only other times he had done that were his two U.S. Open wins.
And after turning a one-shot deficit into a six-shot lead on the front nine, Woods left everyone else playing for second.
It was the second time Woods has strung together three straight victories at this World Golf Championship, and he tied a PGA Tour record by winning for the sixth time on the same course. Jack Nicklaus won six Masters at Augusta National, and Alex Ross won six times at the North & South Open at Pinehurst No. 2 at the turn of the 20th century. Woods also won for the 14th time in 25 tries at the World Golf Championships.
“This one felt good,” Woods said.
Sabbatini closed with a 74, just as he did in the final group with Woods at Wachovia. Justin Rose saved par on the final hole for a 68 that left him tied for second.
* Steve Flesch shot an even-par 72 in blustery conditions to hang on for a five-stroke victory at the Reno-Tahoe Open, his third career win on the PGA Tour.
Flesch, who began the day with the same lead after rounds of 63-69-69, had three birdies and three bogeys to finish at 15-under 273. He missed only 10 greens his first 54 holes but hit only three of his first 10 on Sunday with winds gusting to 30 mph at the 7,472-yard Montreux Golf & Country Club on the edge of the Sierra Nevada.
Kent Denver graduate Kevin Stadler shot a 70 and Charles Warren a 71 to tie for second at 10-under 278.
Champions Tour: D.A. Weibring birdied the last three holes to overtake Jay Haas and win the 3M Championship by one stroke in Blaine, Minn.
