Ranking the WGC-Bridgestone field: Who stands between Tiger and win No. 9?

The world's best golfers are in Akron, Ohio, this week for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. This no-cut event fields the top 50 players in the world plus a few select invitees, and is played at the South Course of Firestone Country Club. It's also an event Tiger Woods has won eight times - yes, you read that correctly.

Firestone - which is hosting the tournament for the final time - is a long par-70 course (7,400 yards) with traditional tree-lined fairways that place an emphasis on distance and accuracy off the tee. Therefore, golfers who drive well this week will be the ones in contention on Sunday.

Here, we rank the top 10 in the field (betting odds in parentheses):

10. Jon Rahm (25-1)

Firestone is straightforward - hit it far and straight off the tee, hit a close approach, and then make a birdie putt. That's exactly what Rahm needs at this point in his career, as difficult tracks like Shinnecock Hills and Carnoustie have frustrated the young Spaniard. Meanwhile, he can overpower his way to victory if his game is clicking this week.

9. Xander Schauffele (35-1)

Schauffele plays well in strong fields, as evidenced by his track record at majors. He was a runner-up two weeks ago at Carnoustie, and finished inside the top 15 in his first appearance at Firestone last season. Expect to see the "X-Man" in the hunt on Sunday.

8. Paul Casey (40-1)

Casey bounced back from a mediocre Open Championship with a tied-for-seventh showing at the European Open. He's played at Firestone in each of the past three seasons, improving every time, capped by his top-five result last year. This season, Casey ranks fourth in strokes gained: total, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him win his second PGA Tour event of the year.

7. Justin Thomas (22-1)

Thomas is enduring a bit of a dry spell, coming off a disappointing missed cut at The Open and recording zero top-five finishes since March. However, he's a week away from defending his PGA Championship title, so it would be the perfect time to regain his form.

6. Brooks Koepka (28-1)

Koepka missed the cut last week at the Canadian Open, but he's proven over and over again that he almost needs the big stage to perform. His length off the tee will give him a massive edge at this long par-70 course. And even if he's well off the pace heading into Saturday, few golfers can turn things around as quickly as Brooks.

5. Rickie Fowler (22-1)

Fowler's rattled off four straight top-10 finishes at Firestone, a streak that should continue this week, as his accuracy off the tee will make iron shots more manageable on the long par-4s. Still searching for his first win this season, Fowler could rain on Tiger's parade.

4. Francesco Molinari (25-1)

There's no arguing that Molinari is the hottest player in the world right now. The new No. 6-ranked golfer has three wins and two runner-up finishes in his last six events, a remarkable stretch of golf that doesn't seem to be slowing down. His elite accuracy off the tee and his strong long-iron play will put him right back in the mix on Sunday.

3. Rory McIlroy (10-1)

Coming off a tied-for-second finish at Carnoustie, McIlroy could be peaking in time for the final stretch of the season. And the 2014 Bridgestone Invitational winner finished tied for fifth here last year, as Firestone certainly fits his elite off-the-tee game. The no-cut nature of this tournament will allow McIlroy to make a run on the weekend, even if he gets off to a slow start.

2. Tiger Woods (12-1)

While Tiger has won here an astounding eight times, his last WGC-Bridgestone title came in 2013, which was also his most recent win on Tour, period. One of his goals this year was to get invited to this event by reaching the top 50 of the world rankings, and he did so right on the number with his T6 finish at The Open. It shouldn't shock anyone if Woods wins this week in his last crack at Firestone.

1. Dustin Johnson (7-1)

The world No. 1 is coming off a dominant win in Canada, proving his missed cut at The Open was an anomaly. Johnson won the Bridgestone in 2016 and fits this course to a T. Long, straight, and deadly on approach shots, DJ is the heavy favorite to stand in Tiger's way and pick up his 20th career win on Tour.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
(Betting odds: Bodog)