Preview and Predictions for the 2016 WGC Bridgestone Invitational

The PGA Tour doesn't usually make its way to Akron for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational until August. But thanks to the Olympics, the tour calendar was reshuffled, and here we are. 

And unfortunately, because the July date coincides with the Open de France, the European Tour isn't co-sanctioning the WGC event. So, European Ryder Cup points are awarded to the gentlemen playing in France, which has has diluted the field somewhat. Only 61 of the 75 qualifiers will be putting a peg in the ground at Firestone.

But fear not! Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson will be in action this week (Rory McIlroy is playing in France), and the tournament ought to be a good one. 

Read on for tournament info, key storylines, favorites to win, dark-horse picks and our predicted winner.

Tournament Information

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Defending Champion: Shane Lowry

Where: Firestone Country Club (South), 7,400 yards, par 70

What

Total Purse: $9,500,000   

Winning Share: $1,620,000 

FedEx Points to Winner: 550 

When

Thursday-Friday: 1:30-6:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

Saturday-Sunday: Noon-1:30 p.m. (GC); 2-6 p.m. (CBS)

Biggest Storylines

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The longest par-70 course outside of major tracks, Firestone demands players find the fairway and penalizes them when they don't in the form of thick rough, an abundance of trees and small, undulating greens that are tough to hold even from the short grass. The challenging layout will be a star this week, as will booming drives from Firestone's many elevated tees. 

Dustin Johnson returns to action for the first time since his U.S. Open win. Assuredly, he'll get some questions about the ruling fiasco, so expect to hear more about that. 

Jason Day, who won the WGC-Dell Match Play in March and Adam Scott, who took the WGC-Cadillac Championship, are each looking to become the third golfer in WGC history to win two WGC events in the same season. For perspective, Tiger Woods has accomplished the feat a mere six times. 

The calendar shift, as mentioned in the intro, has diluted the field somewhat. For those in the field, with next week's Greenbrier Classic cancelled, this will be most players' last opportunity for a tune-up ahead of the British Open. 

The Favorites

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Jason Day: Following his tie for eighth at Oakmont, Jason Day returns to Firestone, where he finished tied for 12th last year. The No. 1 golfer in the world has just two finishes outside the top 25 in 12 starts this season. He's the tour leader in total strokes gained. 

Dustin Johnson: DJ is surging, no doubt, coming off his victory at the U.S. Open and rattling off a string of top-15 finishes prior to that. He's never played particularly well in Akron, however, cracking the top 20 just twice in six tries and never threatening to win. 

Jordan Spieth: In two turns at Firestone, Jordan Spieth has recorded a solid result once, finishing tied for 10th last year. Spieth hasn't impressed since his win at Colonial, failing to crack the top 30 at either the Memorial or the U.S. Open. He's eighth on tour in SG:T. 

Other contenders: Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk

The Dark Horses

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Jason Dufner: The Duf tied for eighth at Oakmont amid little fanfare (probably just the way he likes it). He's totaled two top-10 finishes in three attempts at Firestone. Dufner is seventh in greens in regulation. 

David Lingmerth: Comfortable on Ohio tracks, last year's Memorial winner tied for sixth at Firestone last year. Lingmerth finished 12th at the U.S. Open in his most recent start.

Prediction

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Winner: Brooks Koepka

In his only start at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Brooks Koepka finished tied for sixth, carding sub-70 rounds all four days. 

Koepka tied for 13th at the U.S. Open in his most recent start and tallied a tie for second at the FedEx St. Jude Classic and second in a playoff at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

At a long, tight course with penal rough, it's no surprise that the combination of power and accuracy off the tee and iron play from long distance are key at Firestone. Koepka is 27th on tour in total driving and fifth in approaches from 175 to 200 yards. 

A measure of the overall quality of BK's play this season: Koepka is fifth in strokes gained off the tee and 13th in SG:T. 

Knocking at the door recently, look for Koepka to take home the second trophy of his PGA Tour career. 

Stats via PGATour.com