OPEN champion Zach Johnson is relishing returning to action on one of his favourite courses in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron.
Johnson claimed his second Major title by defeating Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a play-off at St Andrew's last month, despite previously stating the Old Course was his least favourite on the Open rotation. The 39-year-old also said he dislikes the "contrived" US PGA venue of Whistling Straits, but is a big fan of Firestone Country Club, a venue where he was sixth in 2011 and fourth in 2013.
"I love the golf course," Johnson told a pre-tournament press conference.
"I don't like to label or place or prioritise courses, but this is way up there for me. I love what this course demands. I think you've got to hit it straight. There's a lot of tee shots into the fairways that are not flat, so you've got to kind of angle it in there. The driver is important here. I like that.
"The greens are fast, everything that I grew up on, tight, bentgrass, midwest-style golf course. There's a couple of tee shots that are just brutal... especially for us modest hitters. But all that said, I just thoroughly enjoy what this course demands and how it needs to be played. I think we've seen guys that kill it one year, and we've seen guys that kind of plot their way around, Jim Furyk and that kind, that can do well. So I think it separates the field nicely at the end of the week."
Forty-eight of the world's top 50 players are in the 78-strong field, with just defending champion Rory McIlroy and American Chris Kirk absent due to injury. McIlroy has not played since suffering an ankle ligament injury playing football with friends on July 4 and also missed out on the defence of his Open title at St Andrew's.
The 26-year-old will be replaced as world number one by Jordan Spieth if the Masters and US Open champion can claim his first World Golf Championship title on Sunday, although the 22-year-old has precious little experience of the course.
Spieth, who has been paired with Johnson for the first two rounds, finished 49th on his debut last year and failed to break par in any of the four rounds.
Tiger Woods won his last PGA Tour title to date and 79th of his career by seven shots in the Bridgestone Invitational in 2013, but the eight-time winner is currently ranked 262nd in the world and has failed to qualify for the first time since the event started in 1999.
McIlroy has heightened speculation surrounding his return to action by posting a video which shows him working out in the gym without any apparent discomfort from his injured ankle. The Holywood man has yet to say whether he will be able to defend the US PGA Championship next week and, on Tuesday, his publicist denied reports he had scheduled a practice round at Whistling Straits on Saturday.
However, on Wednesday McIlroy posted a video on his Instagram account in which he was seen balancing on his left leg and twisting and throwing a gym ball to mimic the actions of the golf swing. Alongside the short video clip, McIlroy wrote: "Working hard every day to come back stronger £dontmindthegrind."
