WGC-BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL POWER RANKINGS

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5. Francesco Molinari

The new World No. 6 has a mediocre history at the WGC-Bridgestone, but in his current form, it feels like that does not matter. After his breakthrough major victory at The Open Championship, the tee-to-green master from Italy is finally a household name, and he is now on an unreal tear with three victories and two runner-ups in his last six events.

It can be difficult to follow up a maiden major triumph, but nothing Molinari is doing lately looks ordinary. We still cannot believe that he pulled off a bogey-free weekend at the redoubtable Carnoustie Golf Links.

Odds: 25-1
World Rank: 6
2017 Bridgestone: T24
Last Six: 1, 2, 1, 25, 2, 1

4. Justin Rose

That 18th hole at Carnoustie will be happy if it never sees Justin Rose again. A hole that has obliterated the dreams of countless major hopefuls had no defense for the World No. 2 and Olympic Gold Medalist.

When it appeared that Rose might finally be cooling off an absurd 11 month-long birdie bender, he went from making the Open cut on the number to exploding on the weekend and holding the clubhouse lead late. Ignore last year’s T63 finish at Firestone, that is a clear anomaly for a man who has thrice left Akron in the top five since 2012. Another top 10 finish this week would mean six in a row coming into the season’s final major.

Odds: 12-1
World Rank: 2
2017 Bridgestone: T63
Last Six: 2, 9, 10, 6, 1, 23

3. Tiger Woods

Well, Tiger has won this event eight times, so that’s good. Those eight wins at the Bridgestone individually are more than any other golfer has in all their WGC events combined. The last of those was a seven-shot blowout at the 2013 event, which also happens to be the last event Tiger has won anywhere.

Despite not having played Firestone since withdrawing with back pain halfway through his fourth round in 2014, this is a place where Tiger undoubtedly has incredible confidence, and this is maybe the tournament where the absurdly-low odds he still draws are most tenable.

Tiger is still not the golfer he was in 2000, so he probably will not win by 11 strokes like he did at Firestone that year, but by contending deep into Sunday at the recent Open Championship, he is trending in a direction where a victory on any course feels at least possible. It would make a great story if that win happened on this course and at this event, especially with it being the tournament’s final edition.

Odds: 12-1
World Rank: 50
2017 Bridgestone: DNP (8-time champ!)
Last Six: 6, 4, MC, 23, 11, 55

2. Dustin Johnson

World No. 1 looked like World No. 1 again last Sunday in Canada, pulling away from the field early and capturing his 19th career PGA Tour victory. It was impressive the way he showed a short memory after the disappointment of missing the cut at the previous week’s Open Championship.

Now, DJ, whose five wins is the second-most in WGC history, is bringing his A game to Akron, where he was the 2016 Bridgestone Champion. With two wins and solo-third in his last four starts, it is unsurprising that he is the current betting favorite.

Odds: 7-1
World Rank: 1
2017 Bridgestone: T17
Last Six: 1, MC, 3, 1, 8, 17

1. Rory McIlroy

One of the runner-ups at The Open Championship two weeks ago, Rory posted an amazingly consistent 69-69-70-70, finally avoiding that one high round that has plagued most of his more recent big events.

McIlroy enters Firestone in excellent form, in an event where he has been a horse for the course, with five top 10s in his last six attempts, including a victory in 2014. We think he gets a taste of title before heading into the season’s final major. That means this week.

Odds: 12-1
World Rank: 7
2017 Bridgestone: T17
Last Six: 2, 28, 12, MC, 8, 2