Woods gets 1 last crack at Firestone for WGC final edition

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — This is one farewell party Tiger Woods didn't want to miss.

Firestone will host the world's best players for the last time at the Bridgestone Invitational, and it wouldn't be the same without Woods. He has won it eight times, a PGA Tour record for most victories on the same golf course. Woods didn't finish out of the top 5 in his first 11 appearances on the venerable South Course, seven of them victories. It also was the last of his 79 victories on the PGA Tour in 2013, right before back problems started to surface.

One problem.

Having played only four tournaments in 29 months because of four back surgeries, Woods returned in December at No. 1,199 in the world. He started his PGA Tour season in January at No. 647.