WGC Bridgestone Invitational preview, picks & analysis

TIGER WOODS will not be in the field for the WGC Bridgestone Invitational this week. It is hard to believe that he is now not good enough to qualify to play in a tournament he has won an astonishing eight times. But in this case, the world rankings don't lie.

To make matters ever worse for the organisers, Rory McIlroy has still not recovered from the ankle injury that saw him withdraw from the Scottish Open and miss out on his defence of The Open at St Andrews. He also looks certain to miss the defence of the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. And to compound McIlroy's misery, he seems certain to lose his world No1 ranking to Jordan Spieth, winner of The Masters and US Open and just a shot shy of reaching the playoff at St Andrews. McIlroy is unlikely to be indulging in another game of football anytime in the near future.

Jordan Spieth will be looking to add a WGC event to the two majors he has won in 2015

All of which brings us back to Spieth, who is a red-hot favourite to win the Bridgestone. More of him later, but my idea of the man to beat is Dustin Johnson. Doubts remain about whether he has the mental capacity to close out a major, but this is not a major, and the South Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, is made for him. It measures 7,400 yards, is a par 70 and boasts generous fairways, which goes some way towards accounting for the success that Woods has enjoyed over the years.

Johnson has a big advantage over Woods. Both men are bombers, but Johnson is an accurate bomber. He has taken several courses apart, and you really would not be in the least bit surprised to see him shoot a couple of 62s here, especially if his putter is even lukewarm. He had a rough time at the US Open and an even worse time at St Andrews, where he looked every inch the winner for two rounds before disappearing without trace.

The conditions at Firestone will suit him and it would be a big surprise to your correspondent if he is not in contention coming down the final stretch.

So what about Spieth? He has had a truly astonishing year. It is impossible to describe what an incredible feat it was to win the first two majors of the season and then come so close to adding the third. And do you know what? He was really annoyed when his approach to the final green finished in the Valley of Sin. And he was even more upset when he missed the subsequent putt by the width of a cigarette paper.

Not that you would have known it because, as ever, he conducted himself superbly, warmly thanking the crowd for their support and being among the first to congratulate Zach Johnson for winning the playoff. The boy is a class act. It is difficult to believe that he has only just turned 22.

So yes, he will also be in the mix, and although he would never admit it, I expect him to be holding something back for the US PGA Championship. Justin Rose may feel inclined to do the same thing. The Englishman is in a rich vein of form and is surely destined to add to his solitary major, the US Open.

I also like the look of Bill Haas. He has had an indifferent season but has recently shown signs of coming back to his best, and played well at the Quicken Loans National last week.

Bridgestone Invitational Betting Picks

To win: Dustin Johnson 14/1 Could bully this place into submission

Each Way: Jordan Spieth 11/2 Certain to be in the mix

Each way: Hideki Matsuyama 33/1 The young Japanese golfer doesn't have a weakness

Bridgestone Invitational Fantasy picks

Dustin Johnson. Ready to tame Firestone

Jordan Spieth. Doesn't know how to play poorly

Hideki Matsuyama. Great swing, fantastic short game

Justin Rose. Apart from Spieth, is there a more consistent golfer anywhere?

Marc Warren. Getting better and better

Shane Lowry. Will surely win in the US soon

Jimmy Walker. Most underrated player on tour

Phil Mickelson. The course suits flakey Phil

Brandt Snedeker. Back to his very best

David Lingmerth. Is turning into a consistent performer