Power Rankings: Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship

For the second time in three weeks, a major championship is on the line on PGA TOUR Champions. The 40th Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship will make its fourth consecutive appearance at Firestone Country Club (South) in Akron, Ohio.

Bert Ward's 1929 design was reshaped by Robert Trent Jones in 1960 and "the monster" was born. The fourth oldest PGA TOUR Champions event stretches up to 7,400 yards and plays to par-70. It was announced in mid-June that the event will continue through the 2026 season at Firestone (South).

A field of 80 players will tee it up for 72 holes starting Thursday. All players will get four chances to navigate tight fairways and perched, undulating Bent/Poa surfaces.

Steve Stricker returns to defend his title as he cruised by six shots last summer. A prize pool of $3 million is on the line with the winner taking home $450,000.

POWER RANKINGS

Just Missed: Fred Couples, Rod Pampling, Kevin Sutherland, Colin Montgomerie, Rob Labritz

Firestone Country Club - South Course

The massive parkland routing with only two par-5 holes has sat in the top four of most difficult courses on PGA TOUR Champions in the first three editions:

Last season only two players, Stricker and runner-up Jerry Kelly, broke par over four days. In 2020, it was Kelly and runner-up Scott Parel. The first edition saw the most players break par as six finished the week in the red.

The 2022 edition will have a significant yardage reduction. The front nine will now play 97 yards shorter as 3,702 yards is now 3,605. The back nine is 55 yards less as 3,698 yards is now 3,643. The meat of the reduction has come from some of the beastly par-4 holes and of course No. 16, the par-5 that stretched 667 yards previously. The shortening of eight holes won't make the course easier and the par-3 holes don't offer any relief either as three of the four are 200 yards or better.

Only 20 acres of fairway off the tee will reward the most hyper-accurate drivers. Plenty of surface area on the greens will catch recovery shots from other than fairway. So will the 82 bunkers. Navigating the Bent/Poa to grind out pars and take advantage of birdie chances will separate the field this week. Stricker led the field in birdies last year with just 16.

Major championship golf should be difficult and this week provides exactly that test. Mother Nature introduces rain and thunderstorms Thursday but keeps temperatures in the low 80s the entire weekend. The course has excellent drainage so an already big challenge won't play bigger!

Last Time - U.S. Senior Open

Just Missed: Stephen Ames - MC, Brandt Jobe - WD, David Toms - T11, Colin Montgomerie - T28, Robert Karlsson - T41.

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