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Severe weather suspends play in third round of WGC Bridgestone Invitational

Date: August 2, 2014

 by John Fanta

Mother Nature was friendly for most of the third round in Akron, but at 12:43 p.m. on Saturday, the sky opened and the horn sounded to suspend the third round of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. Thunder showers were expected heading into Saturday, forcing the tournament committee to move up the start time of the third round to 7 a.m. Sergio Garcia remains the leader at 14-under par for the tournament, holding a five-stroke lead. Garcia, who shot a 9-under 61 on Friday, tying the tournament record, birdied four times before his first bogey of the round on the 15th hole. It was the first bogey for Garcia since the third hole of his first round. The No. 5 player in the world went 46 bogey-free holes and is thru 15 holes. After a par at the first, Garcia birdied the par-five second hole. An approach from the front rough left him within six feet. That was all he needed to get the momentum rolling again.

He sits comfortably at the top with Open Champion Rory McIlroy and round one leader Marc Leishman at nine-under par. Both are thru 15 holes on Saturday. 2012 WGC Bridgestone Invitational champion Keegan Bradley is six off the lead with Justin Rose at eight-under par. World No. 1 Adam Scott is at seven-under.

The Tiger File

Tiger Woods has many memories at Firestone Country Club. This weekend, however, hasn't delivered anything to remember for the struggling Woods, who has won eight times in Akron. The world's tenth-ranked player shot a two-over 72 on an overcast Saturday morning, falling to one-over in the tournament, which is currently 16 off the lead.

While Woods blamed his putter following his third round, the driver has not been much of a weapon. Woods hit the fairways on the 14th and 18th holes when using the driver. "I went back to my old driver from last year," said Woods. "It has a lighter shaft in it."

It was on 18 that Woods "figured something out" with his driver. Coming into the week with just 45 FedEx Cup points (215th) and needing to make a move, figuring out how to drive on a course he knows so well on the last hole of his third round pretty much sums up how this week has gone.

"I just need more reps," said Woods. "I'm actually getting better the more rounds I'm playing."

Woods went on to mention that he's looking to do more in the weight room, but is "not quite ready to burn the candle at both ends." He said he can't handle the balance between his game and his agility as of this moment.

Round of the Day

The low round of the day comes from a player who has already made his name known in Ohio this season. Hideki Matsuyama shot a five-under 65 to climb to 12th in the tournament at four-under for the championship. Matsuyama won The Memorial in Columbus in May. He is the lone player to be in red figures overall to score a 65 thus far.

Stay tuned to @John_Fanta and @WSOUSports along with WSOU.net for complete Bridgestone Invitational coverage. When play resumes, we'll have updates.

Posted in: From the Stands, Sports

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