Woods to contest WGC

World number one Tiger Woods will lead a field of 80 at next week’s World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, tournament officials have confirmed.

Woods, a six-time winner of the event including his most recent appearance at Firestone Country Club in 2007, officially committed to the event today, while two of the 82 qualifiers, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson and Chinese Taipei’s Wen-Tang Lin, have withdrawn due to injury.

Woods missed the 2008 event following reconstructive knee surgery and will join world number two Phil Mickelson at Firestone, after the left-hander announced his return to golf having taken time out as his wife Amy began treatment for breast cancer.

Of the 51 international players in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational field, England has the largest contingent of eight, led by Paul Casey, alongside Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Luke Donald, Oliver Wilson, Justin Rose and Nick Dougherty.

Northern Ireland will be represented by Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and 2003 winner Darren Clarke while Ireland has two players, US PGA champion Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry, who turned professional following his Irish Open win as an amateur in May.