(Akron, Ohio, USA) – Players within the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking through August 14th that had not otherwise qualified have now gained entrance to the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, on Aug. 22-27.
Players ranked within the top 50, including any tied for 50th place, from the Official World Golf Ranking as of Monday, August 14, are exempt into the tournament. Players who move within the top 50 after this week’s PGA Championship as of Monday, August 21, will also qualify for this year’s event. They will be joined by the European team members from the 2004 Ryder Cup, playing members from the 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup, playing members of the 2005 U.S. and International Presidents Cup teams as well as winners of select golf tournaments from around the world.
With his runner-up finish at last week’s INTERNATIONAL, U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Tom Lehman moved from No. 53 in the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 35 and has secured his place in next week’s field. Dean Wilson also earned a place in Akron by defeating Lehman on the second playoff hole on Sunday.
Players who qualified via the Official World Golf Ranking include Ernie Els (7th), Jose Maria Olazabal (16th), Zach Johnson (36th), Ben Crane (43rd) and Shingo Katayama (47th).
Players just on the outside of the top 50 who have not otherwise qualified, such as Paul Broadhurst (51st), Vaughn Taylor (53rd), Sean O’Hair (55th) and Tom Pernice Jr. (56th) will need a strong finish this week if they hope get into the field for the Bridgestone Invitational.
"We’re delighted to add such great players to an already steady field. Ernie Els and Tom Lehman are two of the game’s best," Executive Director Tom Strong said. "It’s always exciting to see how the field turns out in the days leading up to our event. Fans will be sure to see the greatest players in the world take on a very difficult course here at Firestone Country Club. "
Here is a quick look at the players ranked 51-60 who have a chance at getting into the field with a strong performance at this week’s PGA Championship. Players in bold face have already qualified.
Rank Player
51 Paul Broadhurst
52 Lucas Glover
53 Vaughn Taylor
54 K.J. Choi
55 Sean O’Hair
56 Tom Pernice, Jr.
57 Niclas Fasth
58 Fred Funk
59 Richard Green
60 Charl Sachwartzel
The 2006 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational will be held August 22-27 at Firestone Country Club. Tickets can still be purchased by calling the Championship Office at 330-644-2299, by calling toll free 1-877-942-4849, or by logging on to www.worldgolfchampionships.com
ABOUT THE BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL
This year marks the eighth playing of the World Golf Championships—Bridgestone Invitational. The Bridgestone Invitational is one of four World Golf Championships, which are sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Southern Africa Tour. The other World Golf Championships include the Accenture Match Play Championship, American Express Championship and the Barbados World Cup. For more information, please visit worldgolfchampionships.com.
ABOUT BRIDGESTONE:
The Bridgestone Group, founded in 1931, is the world’s largest manufacturer of tires and other rubber products. Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the parent company of the group. Tires account for 80 percent of Bridgestone Group sales worldwide. The company also manufactures industrial rubber and chemical products, sporting goods, and other diversified products. With those various activities, the Bridgestone Group markets its tires and other products in more than 150 nations by supplying tires and other products manufactured at more than 100 plants in more than 20 countries
Contact: James Cramer
Director, Public Relations
World Golf Championships
Tel: 904-273-3293
Email: jcramer@pgatourhq.com
2006 World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational
Eligible players as of August 14, 2006
1 Allenby, Robert – 2005 MFS Australian Open, 2005 Australian PGA Championship (designated event), 2005 MasterCard Australian Masters
2 Ames, Stephen – 2006 PLAYERS Championship
3 Appleby, Stuart – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2006 Mercedes Championships, 2006 Shell Houston Open
4 Baddeley, Aaron – 2006 Verizon Heritage
5 Bickerton, John – 2006 Open de France ALSTOM
6 Bjorn, Thomas – 2006 Nissan Irish Open
7 Browne, Olin – 2005 Deutsche Bank Championship
8 Bryant, Bart – 2005 TOUR Championship
9 Cabrera, Angel – 2005 Presidents Cup
10 Calcavecchia, Mark – 2005 Bell Canadian Open
11 Campbell, Chad – 2006 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
12 Campbell, Michael – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2005 HSBC World Match Play
13 Casey, Paul – 2004 Ryder Cup
14 Choi, KJ – 2005 Chrysler Classic
15 Cink, Stewart – 2005 Presidents Cup
16 Clark, Tim – 2005 Presidents Cup
17 Clarke, Darren – 2004 Ryder Cup
18 Couch, Chris – 2006 Zurich Classic
19 Couples, Fred – 2005 Presidents Cup
20 Crane, Ben – World Top 50 8/14/06
21 Curtis, Ben – 2006 Booz Allen Classic
22 DiMarco, Chris – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2006 Abu Dhabi Championship
23 Dodd, Stephen – 2006 Smurfit Kappa European Open
24 Donald, Luke – 2004 Ryder Cup, 2006 Honda Classic
25 Edfors, Johan – 2006 Quinn Direct British Masters, 2006 Barclays Scottish Open
26 Els, Ernie – World Top 50 8/14/06
27 Faxon, Brad – 2005 Buick Championship
28 Fernandez-Castano, Gonzalo – 2006 BMW Asian Open
29 Funk, Fred – 2005 Presidents Cup
30 Furyk, Jim – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2006 Wachovia Championship
31 Gamez, Robert – 2005 Valero Texas Open
32 Garcia, Sergio – 2004 Ryder Cup
33 Glover, Lucas – 2005 FUNAI Classic
34 Goosen, Retief – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2005 Linde German Masters, 2005 South African Airways Open
35 Gore, Jason – 2005 84 Lumber Classic
36 Harrington, Padraig – 2004 Ryder Cup
37 Henry, J.J. – 2006 Buick Championship
38 Hensby, Mark – 2005 Presidents Cup
39 Herron, Tim – 2006 Bank of America Colonial
40 Holmes, J.B. – 2006 FBR Open
41 Howell, David – 2004 Ryder Cup, 2005 BMW International, 2005 HSBC Champions Tournament, 2006 BMW Champ.
42 Immelman, Trevor – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2006 Cialis Western Open
43 Jimenez, Miguel Angel – 2004 Ryder Cup
44 Johnson, Zach – World Top 50 8/14/06
45 Kapur, Shiv – 2005 Volvo Masters of Asia (designated event)
46 Karlsson, Robert – 2006 Celtic Manor Wales Open, 2006 Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe
47 Katayama, Shingo – World Top 50 8/14/06
48 Lehman, Tom – World Top 50 8/14/06
49 Leonard, Justin – 2005 Presidents Cup
50 Levet, Thomas – 2004 Ryder Cup
51 Lonard, Peter – 2005 Presidents Cup
52 Love III, Davis – 2005 Presidents Cup
53 Maggert, Jeff – 2006 Fed Ex St. Jude Classic
54 McGinley, Paul – 2004 Ryder Cup, 2005 Volvo Masters
55 Mickelson, Phil – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2006 BellSouth Classic, 2006 Masters
56 Montgomerie, Colin – 2004 Ryder Cup, 2005 dunhill links Championship, 2005 UBS Hong Kong Open
57 O’Hern, Nick – 2005 Presidents Cup
58 Oberholser, Arron – 2006 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
59 Ogilvy, Geoff – 2006 WGC Accenture Match Play Championship, 2006 US Open
60 Olazabal, Jose Marie – World Top 50 8/14/06
61 Pampling, Rod – 2006 Bay Hill Invitational
62 Pavin, Corey – 2006 US Bank Championship
63 Perry, Kenny – 2005 Presidents Cup
64 Pettersson, Carl – 2005 Chrysler Championship, 2006 Memorial Tournament
65 Poulter, Ian – 2004 Ryder Cup
66 Sabbatini, Rory – 2006 Nissan Open
67 Schwartzel, Charl – 2006 Vodacom Tour Championship (designated event)
68 Scott, Adam – 2005 Presidents Cup
69 Short, Wes – 2005 Michelin Championship
70 Singh, Vijay – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2006 Barclays Classic
71 Stadler, Kevin – 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic
72 Stenson, Henrik – 2006 Commercialbank Qatar Masters
73 Takahashi, Tatsuhiko – 2006 UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship (designated event)
74 Toms, David – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2006 Sony Open
75 Verplank, Scott – 2005 Presidents Cup
76 Weir, Mike – 2005 Presidents Cup
77 Westwood, Lee – 2004 Ryder Cup
78 Wetterich, Brett – 2006 EDS Byron Nelson Championship
79 Wilson, Dean – 2006 The INTERNATIONAL
80 Woods, Tiger – 2005 Presidents Cup, 2005 NEC Invitational, 2005 AmEx Championship, 2005 Dunlop Phoenix, 2006 Buick Invitational, 2006 Dubai Desert Classic, 2006 Ford Championship, 2006 British Open, 2006 Buick Open
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