WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Power Rankings: Top ten at Firestone
Matt Kuchar just had a middling run at the RBC Canadian Open, finishing tied for 32nd despite going ten-under for the week. It was understandable, though, considering the circumstances.
Fresh off a hard-fought battle with Jordan Spieth at The Open, falling just short of the Claret Jug and then making the trans-Atlantic trip back to North America, things were far from ideal.
“You play your best, you try on every shot, and sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t. You have to learn that these things happen.”
However, with a week to reset and recharge the batteries, Kuchar should be back and ready to contend at Firestone.
Despite being a relatively short hitter – Kuchar ranks just 159th on the PGA TOUR with a 284.5 average – he has found more than his share of success at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. Kuchar has three top-tens in eight career starts at Firestone, including a tie for third behind Dustin Johnson last year. He also brings consistency, with six top-25 finishes in the last seven years.
They don’t call Kuchar “Mr. Consistency” for nothing, and he spoke a bit about what got him through the final few holes of The Open, watching Jordan Spieth dash his dreams of winning his first major. It’s class personified – humility, but not at the cost of his own confidence.
Spieth said at Royal Birkdale that Kuchar would win a major, and soon. A WGC event isn’t a major by any means, but this one could go a long way toward patching up whatever hurt is left over from the Open. Look for Kuchar to get right back on top this week.