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Tiger Woods Opened WGC-Bridgestone Invitational With A 4-Under 66, Sits Two Shots Off Lead

Tiger Starts Strong At Firestone, Again

By Brentley Romine, Golfweek

Tiger Woods continued his success at Firestone Country Club Thursday in Akron, Ohio.

Woods shot 4-under 66 in the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, his best opening round at the event since 2005, when he went on to win.

"It's one of those things where I was explaining to you guys yesterday that no matter how I'm playing coming in here, I've played terrible coming in here and I've played really well coming in," Woods said. "And for some reason this golf course, I just see it. It's just one of those venues."

Woods, who has won seven times here at Firestone, was two shots back of Webb Simpson at the end of the morning wave. Simpson fired a 64 to take the clubhouse lead.

While he didn't get many putts to drop, Woods played well from tee to green. He missed just four fairways and two greens. He also stuck his fair share of approach shots to within 5 or 6 feet, setting up several short-range birdie putts.

His lone bogey came at the par-5 16th, when he found a fairway bunker and clipped a tree before reaching the green in four shots.

Click here to see how Woods' opening round unfolded.

"I feel very good about what I'm doing with basically my whole swing," Woods said. "I hit a lot of good shots. I had a really good feel for the distance today."

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Before You Go

WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Round 1
Tiger Woods(01 of32)
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Tiger Woods chips to the 11th green during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Webb Simpson(02 of32)
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Webb Simpson chips to the ninth green during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Simpson finished his round at 6-under par. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Phil Mickelson(03 of32)
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Phil Mickelson hits his drive on the second hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Tiger Woods(04 of32)
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Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Ian Poulter(05 of32)
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Ian Poulter, from England, signs autographs for fans before a practice round for the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Wednesday, July 31, 2013, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Adam Scott(06 of32)
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Adam Scott, from Australia, watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Henrik Stenson(07 of32)
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Henrik Stenson of Sweden, watches his drive on the fourth hole, during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Jason Dufner(08 of32)
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Jason Dufner watches his tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Bubba Watson(09 of32)
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Bubba Watson reacts after missing a birdie putt on the ninth hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Watson finished the day at 3-under par. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Miguel Jiminez(10 of32)
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Miguel Jiminez, from Spain, looks over a birdie putt with caddie Clifford Botha on the ninth green during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Rory Mcilroy(11 of32)
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, hits out of a sand trap on the seventh hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Phil Mickelson(12 of32)
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Phil Mickelson watches his shot from the rough on the second hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Rory Mcilroy(13 of32)
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, reacts after missing a birdie putt on the sixth hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Phil Mickelson(14 of32)
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Phil Mickelson shouts a warning after hitting his second shot from the fairway on the second hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Rory Mcilroy(15 of32)
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the second hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Justin Rose(16 of32)
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Justin Rose, of England, hits from the sand on the first hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Rickie Fowler(17 of32)
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Rickie Fowler reacts after missing a putt for birdie on the eighth hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Keegan Bradley(18 of32)
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Keegan Bradley watches his tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Phil Mickelson(19 of32)
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Phil Mickelson watches his tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Luke Donald(20 of32)
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Luke Donald, from England, reacts after missing a short putt for birdie on the 10th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Rory McElroy(21 of32)
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Rory McElroy, from Northern Ireland, chips to the eighth green during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson(22 of32)
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Justin Rose, right, from England, reacts to his tee shot on the ninth hole as Phil Mickelson looks on during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Sergio Garcia(23 of32)
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Sergio Garcia, from Spain, looks over a putt on the eighth green during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Brant Snedeker(24 of32)
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Caddie Scott Vail, left, confers with Brant Snedeker on the 11th tee during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Phil Mickelson(25 of32)
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Phil Mickelson hits from a fairway bunker to the 10th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Angel Cabrera(26 of32)
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Angel Cabrera, from Argentina, lines up a putt on the eighth hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Jim Furyk(27 of32)
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Jim Furyk watches his chip shot from the rough on the eighth hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Rickie Fowler(28 of32)
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Rickie Fowler watches his tee shot on the second hole during the first round at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Phil Long) (credit:AP)
Bill Haas(29 of32)
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Bill Haas watches his tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Rory McElroy(30 of32)
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Rory McElroy, from Northern Ireland, watches his tee shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Webb Simpson(31 of32)
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Webb Simpson walks off the ninth green after finishing the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at 6-under par Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
Tiger Woods(32 of32)
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Tiger Woods acknowledges fans after saving par on the 17th hole during the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) (credit:AP)
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