Firestone Country Club hosts the Bridgestone Invitational this week, which is taking place much earlier than usual. The tournament usually starts the first Thursday in August, but it’s been moved up this year because that would conflict with golf at the Summer Olympics.
The tournament’s executive director, Don Padgett, says changing the date has not had much of an impact on preparations, but it may prove helpful with the Republican National Convention, which is two weeks before the golf tournament’s usual time.
“If we did have to go early for a year, I’m glad it’s this year. Because normally we would be right after the RNC. I’m sure everybody in the area, after the RNC, will need to get back to work.”
Firestone Country Club has hosted PGA Tour events for 63 years. The Bridgestone Invitational will move back to its usual start time next year.
R.J. Nemer has represented some of the top golfers in the world. Speaking at the Akron Roundtable this past Thursday, he said the Bridgestone is good for Akron.
“We being in the Akron-Northeast Ohio area are really lucky to have this caliber of an event, at this caliber of a club with these great sponsors. And I would encourage you to support this event. Because I think it’s one of these things that we all – being kind of in our back yard -- take for granted. But if it ever weren’t there, [that] would be a really bad thing.”
Nemer’s address at the Akron Roundtable airs this Thursday night at 8 on WKSU.
