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Akron, Ohio —
Ernie Els defeated World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational defending champion Adam Scott at the British Open for his fourth major championship last week, and the World Golf Hall of Fame member will highlight a strong field of contenders when the best players from across the globe come to Firestone Country Club, Aug. 1-5. Ten more players, led by Graeme McDowell, also punched their tickets to Akron after cracking the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Only a win this week, or moving into the top 50, will earn a player a last-minute spot in the Bridgestone Invitational field.
Els’ second career win at the British Open came after shooting a 32 on the back nine which included a clutch birdie on the 18th hole. Els entered the final round trailing Scott, his good friend, by six strokes. Scott bogeyed the final four holes to lose by one stroke despite having a comfortable lead throughout most of the day. Els has qualified for all 12 of the previous Bridgestone Invitational events, sitting out in 2005 due to injury. His best finish came in the inaugural event in 1999, when he finished 5th. He has two career World Golf Championships victories, both at the Cadillac Championship (2004, 2010).
Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell headlines a group of 10 players from the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, not otherwise qualified, who gained entry to the Bridgestone Invitational following this weekend’s action. McDowell, No. 11 after a T5 at last week’s British Open, has four top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR this year, including a T2 at the U.S. Open. McDowell will play the Bridgestone Invitational for the seventh time, looking to better his career-best finish in Akron, a T22 in 2010.
Other players who qualified via their Official World Golf Ranking:
Rank Player Country
11 Graeme McDowell Northern Ireland
29 Bo Van Pelt United States
30 Peter Hanson Sweden
35 John Senden Australia
38 Martin Laird Scotland
41 Fredrik Jacobson Sweden
42 Sang-Moon Bae Korea
44 Rafael Cabrera Bello Spain
49 Jonathan Byrd United States
50 Kevin Na United States
The full list of 77 players from 16 countries who have qualified for this year’s event is included at the end of this release. Qualified players have until Friday, July 27, at 5 pm ET, to officially commit to play. Players who move into the top 50 in the World Golf Ranking this week will complete the field.
Players between 51-70 on the Official World Golf Ranking who are not already qualified for the Bridgestone Invitational and need to play well this week include:
Rank Name Country
57 Michael Thompson USA
66 John Huh USA
67 Rory Sabbatini Zaf
70 Robert Garrigus USA
Ernie Els defeated World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational defending champion Adam Scott at the British Open for his fourth major championship last week, and the World Golf Hall of Fame member will highlight a strong field of contenders when the best players from across the globe come to Firestone Country Club, Aug. 1-5. Ten more players, led by Graeme McDowell, also punched their tickets to Akron after cracking the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Only a win this week, or moving into the top 50, will earn a player a last-minute spot in the Bridgestone Invitational field.
Els’ second career win at the British Open came after shooting a 32 on the back nine which included a clutch birdie on the 18th hole. Els entered the final round trailing Scott, his good friend, by six strokes. Scott bogeyed the final four holes to lose by one stroke despite having a comfortable lead throughout most of the day. Els has qualified for all 12 of the previous Bridgestone Invitational events, sitting out in 2005 due to injury. His best finish came in the inaugural event in 1999, when he finished 5th. He has two career World Golf Championships victories, both at the Cadillac Championship (2004, 2010).
Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell headlines a group of 10 players from the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking, not otherwise qualified, who gained entry to the Bridgestone Invitational following this weekend’s action. McDowell, No. 11 after a T5 at last week’s British Open, has four top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR this year, including a T2 at the U.S. Open. McDowell will play the Bridgestone Invitational for the seventh time, looking to better his career-best finish in Akron, a T22 in 2010.
Other players who qualified via their Official World Golf Ranking:
Rank Player Country
11 Graeme McDowell Northern Ireland
29 Bo Van Pelt United States
30 Peter Hanson Sweden
35 John Senden Australia
38 Martin Laird Scotland
41 Fredrik Jacobson Sweden
42 Sang-Moon Bae Korea
44 Rafael Cabrera Bello Spain
49 Jonathan Byrd United States
50 Kevin Na United States
The full list of 77 players from 16 countries who have qualified for this year’s event is included at the end of this release. Qualified players have until Friday, July 27, at 5 pm ET, to officially commit to play. Players who move into the top 50 in the World Golf Ranking this week will complete the field.
Players between 51-70 on the Official World Golf Ranking who are not already qualified for the Bridgestone Invitational and need to play well this week include:
Rank Name Country
57 Michael Thompson USA
66 John Huh USA
67 Rory Sabbatini Zaf
70 Robert Garrigus USA
For event and ticket information for the Bridgestone Invitational visit www.worldgolfchampionships.com or 330-644-2299.
2012 World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational qualified players
Allenby, Robert - 2011 The Presidents Cup AUS
Baddeley, Aaron - 2011 The Presidents Cup AUS
Bae, Sang-Moon – Official World Golf Ranking KOR
Bekker, Oliver - 2012 Dimension Data Pro-Am (designated SAF
Bjorn, Thomas - 2011 Omega European Masters DEN
Bradley, Keegan - 2011 PGA Championship USA
Byrd, Jonathan – Official World Golf Ranking USA
Cabrera-Bello, Rafael - 2012 Omega Dubai Desert Classic ESP
Chalmers, Greg - 2011 Emirates Australian Open, 2011 Australian PGA Championship AUS
Choi, K.J. - 2011 The Presidents Cup KOR
Colsaerts, Nicolas - 2012 Volvo World Match Play Championship BEL
Crane, Ben - 2011 TheMcGladrey Golf Classic USA
Day, Jason - 2011 The Presidents Cup AUS
Donald, Luke - 2012 BMW PGA Championship, 2012 Transitions Championship ENG
Donaldson, Jamie - 2012 Irish Open WAL
Dufner, Jason - 2012 Zurich Classic of of New Orleans, 2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship USA
Dyson, Simon - 2011 KLM Dutch Open ENG
Els, Ernie - 2011 The Presidents Cup SAF
Fernandez-Castanno, Gonzalo - 2011 Barclays Singapore Open ESP
Fowler, Rickie - 2012 Wells Fargo Championship USA
Fujimoto, Yoshinori - 2012 Japan Golf Tour Championship (designated) JPN
Furyk, Jim - 2011 The Presidents Cup USA
Garcia, Sergio - 2011 Andalucia Masters ESP
Goosen, Retief - 2011 The Presidents Cup SAF
Grace, Branden - 2012 Volvo Golf Champions, 2012 Volvo China Open SAF
Haas, Bill - 2011 The Presidents Cup, 2011 TOUR Championship, 2012 Northern Trust Open USA
Hanson, Peter – Official World Golf Ranking SWE
Hoey, Michael - 2011 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship NIR
Ishikawa, Ryo - 2011 The Presidents Cup JPN
Jaidee, Thongchai - 2012 ISPS Honda Wales Open THA
Jacobson, Fredrik - Official World Golf Ranking SWE
Johnson, Dustin - 2011 The Presidents Cup, 2011 The Barclays, 2012 FedEx St. Jude Classic USA
Johnson, Zach - 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational USA
Kaymer, Martin - 2011 WGC-HSBC Champions GER
Kim, Kyung-tae - 2011 The Presidents Cup KOR
Kuchar, Matt - 2011 The Presidents Cup, 2012 THE PLAYERS Championship USA
Laird, Martin – Official World Golf Ranking SCO
Lawrie, Paul - 2012 Commercialbank Qatar Masters SCO
Leishman, Marc - 2012 Travelers Championship AUS
Lewis, Tom - 2011 Portugal Masters ENG
Mahan, Hunter –2011 Presidents Cup, 2012 WGC-Accentuire, 2012 Shell Houston Open USA
McDowell, Graeme – via Official World Golf Ranking NIR
McIlroy, Rory - 2011 UBS Hong Kong Open, 2012 Honda Classic NIR
Mickelson, Phil - 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am USA
Molinari, Francesco - 2012 RealeSeguros Open de Espana ITA
Muto, Toshinori - 2011 Dunlop Phoenix JPN
Kevin Na – Officials World Golf Ranking USA
Ogilvy, Geoff - 2011 The Presidents Cup AUS
Oosthuizen, Louis - 2012 Maybank Malaysian Open SAF
Pettersson, Carl - 2012 RBC Heritage SWE
Potter, Jr., Ted - 2012 Greenbrier Classic USA
Poulter, Ian - 2011 JB Were Australian Masters (designated) ENG
Quiros, Alvaro - 2011 Dubai World Championship ESP
Rock, Robert - 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship ENG
Rose, Justin - 2011 BMW Championship, 2012 WGC-Cadillac Championship ENG
Schwartzel, Charl - 2011 The Presidents Cup SAF
Scott, Adam - 2011 The Presidents Cup, 2011 WGC-Bridgestone AUS
Senden, John – Official World Golf Ranking AUS
Siem, Marcel - 2012 Alstom Open de France GER
Simpson, Webb - 2011 Presidents Cup, 2011 Wyndham Championship, 2011 Deutsche Bank Championship USA
Slattery, Lee - 2011 Bankia Madrid Masters ENG
Snedeker, Brandt - 2012 Farmers Insurance Open USA
Stanley, Kyle - 2012 Waste Management Open USA
Stricker, Steve - 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions USA
Taniguchi, Toru - 2011 Bridgestone Open (designated) JAP
Toms, David - 2011 ThePresidens Cup USA
Van Pelt, Bo – Official World Golf Ranking USA
Wagner, Johnson - 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii USA
Watney, Nick - 2011 The Presidents Cup USA
Watson, Bubba - 2011 The Presidents Cup, 2012 Masters USA
Westwood, Lee - 2011 Thailand Golf Championship (designated) ENG
Wiesberger, Bernd - 2012 Ballantine's Championship AUS
Willett, Danny - 2012 BMW International Open ENG
Wilson, Mark - 2012 Humana Challenge USA
Woods, Tiger - 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational, 2012 Memorial Tournament USA
Yang, Y.E. - 2011 The Presidents Cup KOR
