– Last Updated on November 21, 2022 2:41 pm
2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Preview and Picks
Ready to bet on this week’s 2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational betting odds? The final World Golf Championships event of the 2016-17 season, the Bridgestone Invitational comes our way this week from a familiar Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. A strong field including the top 50 in the World Golf Rankings will tee it up on one of the longest tracks the pros will play – Firestone tops out at about 7,400 yards, including a 667-yard par-5, the 16th.
2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational
- When: August 3-6, 2017
- Where: Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio
- Format: 72 holes – Stroke Play
- Purse: $9,750,000
- Defending Champion: Dustin Johnson
- TV Coverage: Golf Channel and CBS
- Updated Sportsbook Bonuses For Today
Every aspect of a player’s game will be tested this week – length and accuracy will be important for sure. There will be no cut this week as 76 players will take on Firestone which is traditionally one of the toughest stops on TOUR.
Intimidating green-side bunkers and tree-lined fairways make it so – those that are strong off the tee, are good with their long irons and basically have strong tee-to-green games will likely get it done this week – I favor the bombers although shorter players can close the gap with terrific iron play and a strong putter.
With all of that in mind who should we be keeping an eye on this week? Let’s break it down.
2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational Favorites:
Jordan Spieth +700
Spieth is back in a big way folks – he has won his last two starts and now get a crack at a course that he has posted a T10 and T3 in his last two appearances.
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Not surprisingly he leads the PGA TOUR in adjusted scoring and birdie average, is second in greens-in-regulation and third in putting average – as hot a player as there is on the planet right now.
Sizzling current form and a pretty good track record make Spieth the obvious favorite here.
Dustin Johnson +900
Defending champion here, DJ hasn’t quite discovered the form that saw him with three straight between February and March but he did look pretty good in Canada last week finishing T8 – his first really good effort since a fall at Augusta in April.
That said he is still one of the most gifted guys on the planet and could be due for yet another win on a track that obviously suits his eye.
Rory McIlroy +900
Rory’s performance at the Open has him firmly back on my radar – a T4 has many optimistic that the 2014 Champ at Firestone could re-emerge this week (he hasn’t played this event the last two years).
He now has four top 10s on this track in six appearances and has mentioned Firestone as one of his favorite places to play.
He let his caddie go this week which could be cause for some unforeseen growing pains with a new guy on the bag but if he can keep his head in the game Rory is a serious threat this week – obviously!
2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational Contenders:
Rickie Fowler +1400
Has been consistently good all season long and now gets to play a track he has posted four top 10s including his last three appearances.
He has 11 top 25s in 15 starts this year – seven top 10s and has had his eyes firmly on the Majors this year – Fowler will be looking to ramp up for next week’s event at Quail Hollow where he has won before.
He has been a factor every time out this year – no reason to think differently about Firestone – it seems to suit his game to a tee.
Brooks Koepka +1600
The US Open champ certainly has the strength and distance to make things interesting this week! His only other start since his breakthrough Major win was a respectable T6 at The British – impressive indeed.
He was forced to withdraw last year at this event with a bum-ankle but his only other appearance here resulted in a T6 – he shot in the 60s in all four rounds that year. Koepka’s strength and his overwhelming confidence give him a leg up this year for sure.
Hideki Matsuyama +1800
Somehow Firestone just hasn’t agreed with Hideki in the past – just one top 20 finish in four appearances.
But this is a different version of Matsuyama that we are seeing at the moment. He rides a streak of T2-T14-T14 into this week and his ball-striking has elevated to elite-calibre. Track history isn’t on his side but current form and a sensational set of skills certainly are!
Adam Scott +2800
Has been relatively quiet this year on TOUR but the 2011 champ has five top 20s in this event since 2010 including that win. He has four top 10s this year – eight top-25 finishes in just 13 TOUR starts including a T9 at Augusta and a T6 at THE PLAYERS.
Adam seems to always show up for the big events – expect to see his name in arguably his favorite annual stop.
2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational Sleepers (+5000 or higher):
Rafael Cabrera Bello +5000
Hasn’t played here in five years but he was decent in 2012 when he was in the hunt after 36 holes en route to a T29. His current form is good – a T4 at the Open followed a terrific win in the Scottish Open.
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Cabrera Bello is a bit of a streaky guy who arrives on one of his peaks. The PGA TOUR leading in strokes gained: putting should be in for a good week and is enticing especially at this price.
Charley Hoffman +6600
Current form is impressive – a playoff loss last week at the Canadian Open was his third top 10 finish since the US Open. His track history here isn’t all that great but he did finish top 20 last year.
Hoffman has had a knack of showing up for the bigger events this year – I expect more of the same this week.
Kevin Chappell +6600
Nobody has ever doubted his talent – its just a matter of putting it all together at the right time. A top-notch ball-striker, Chappell arrives off a T8 on Canada where he showed that he may be out of a mini-slump.
He finished T3 here last year in his tournament debut and seems to save his best for the tougher tests – this being one.
2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational Picks:
My pick this week is Brooks Koepka at +1600. His combination of strength, accuracy and current form is more than enough for me. Oh ya – his only appearance here resulted in a T6.
My sleeper is Rafael Cabrera Bello at +5000. He is almost in “weekly threat” territory and should thrive on a bomber’s track.
Golf handicapper DAVE B weighs in each week with his top selections. Including top picks and sleepers!
Check back each week for your PGA golf gambling, handicapping info & free golf picks.
Odds To Win The 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
- Jordan Spieth (7/1)
- Dustin Johnson (9/1)
- Rory McIlroy (9/1)
- Rickie Fowler (14/1)
- Brooks Koepka (16/1)
- Hideki Matsuyama (18/1)
- Jon Rahm (20/1)
- Henrik Stenson (22/1)
- Jason Day (22/1)
- Justin Rose (25/1)
- Adam Scott (28/1)
- Matt Kuchar (28/1)
- Sergio Garcia (28/1)
- Odds courtesy Bovada.lv