Local Knowledge: Firestone and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

The PGA Tour returns to Firestone this week for the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. It's an event that Tiger Woods has dominated through the years and he enters the week coming off a three-shot victory in Flint, Mich. Firestone PGA Head Professional David Champagne took some time to tell us about the place he calls home.

PGA.com: Firestone annually provides some of the greatest finishes on the PGA Tour each season. What is it about the course that lends itself to such drama?

Champagne: I think it's a type of course that brings the cream to the top. It's a course that's long and it's certainly a major-type course since we've hosted a major in the past. With past champions we've had here, it's clear that this tournament brings out the upper echelon players.

Tiger Woods has won the Bridgestone Invitational six times in his career. (Graythen/Getty Images)

PGA.com: It's not often that all the big names play the week prior to a major, but the Bridgestone Invitational brings on a different dynamic, as it's also a World Golf Championships event. What kind of effect do you think that two-week stretch has on the best players in the world?

Champagne: I think the players are in such good shape these days that the physical aspect isn't much of a factor. It's certainly a mental grind, but the players schedule the events they play around big weeks and this is one of them. They enjoy this tournament because of the course, so I think they schedule the events they play around tournaments like this. They look forward to coming here. While it is no doubt a grind, I think they're fresh and ready for the challenge.

PGA.com: You can't talk about Firestone without talking about Tiger Woods. He's won there an incredible six times. Every tournament wants to identify the best player and have that player be its champion. Is it pretty safe to say that Firestone is confident that it routinely identifies the best player?

Champagne: It seems to be. With the champions we've had -- as you mentioned, Tiger winning six times -- he's the No. 1 player in the world. We know that he loves the course and it shows. It's demanding and there's no way you can fake your way around this course, which is why you routinely see the best players rising to the top. It's guys like Tiger, Vijay Singh and Stewart Cink. They always seem to play well here.

PGA.com: What's the best part of your job?

Champagne: I think the best part is dealing with the people and membership on a daily basis. I interact with a lot of people from members to the staff, giving lessons. It's not a monotonous job at all and that's what I love about it.

PGA.com: What would you say is the most important element of the game a player needs to possess in order to get around Firestone with a decent score?

Champagne: I think it's got to be ball-striking. The course is long and narrow. You need to keep it in play off the tee. There's not a whole lot of trouble, it's pretty straightforward. But you need to put yourself in a good position to be able to score. Even for the members the course plays at about 6,500 yards. It's not short and it will test your patience.