MARC WARREN, the world No.49, is relishing his first taste of the Bridgestone Invitational in suburban Akron, Ohio today (Thurs) and insists he is playing at a level that suits him following his strong showing in last week’s Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match-Play event at Murcar.
Scotland's top-ranked golfer will have contested all four WGC events this year but is aware that one slip could cost him, having only managed to qualify for last month’s Open Championship a week earlier in sharing fourth place at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Gullane.
“Being here this week completes the set for me as I will have played all four WGCs so that’s nice," he said. “Of course, they are the events you want to be contesting and even though this week will be my first experience of contesting the Bridgestone it’s just great to be teeing up in the bigger events.
“I watched this tournament a lot on TV, seeing Tiger win some of his famous victories. But while there’s no category for someone like Tiger, who’s won the tournament eight times, I am thrilled to making my debut.
“Then that is how a career pans out as Tiger’s is on the down side whereas I hopefully will be playing many more majors and these WGCs.
“But these events are still new to me and I am trying to establish myself at this level. The last few years I feel as though I [have shown] can compete at this level.
“And as far as world-rankings points go they don’t get any bigger than these two weeks so there is the possibility of two strong performances this fortnight of really nailing down my place in the world’s top-50 heading into 2016.”
And one very impressed with Warren's progress up the rankings is victorious 2014 European Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley who is in Ohio this week working with SKY Sports.
“Marc’s first appearance in this event is very well deserved and he’s been making great progress these last few years," said McGinley.
“He’s also, as we saw last week in Scotland, a player very much in form.
“But then he’s been on that top-50 bubble for some time now and these two weeks could very well see him really cement his place in the top-50, and these are the type of events that can do wonders for your world ranking.”
Warren arrived into Akron late on Tuesday night local time and got his first look at this week’s Firestone Country Club host venue playing a back-nine practice round in the company of the Irish pair of Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry.
Martin Laird, meanwhile, should be assured of contesting next week’s PGA Championship despite being first reserve into the season’s final major at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
If so, it will see five Scots – Warren, Stephen Gallacher, Russell Knox, Ritchie Ramsay and Laird – teeing up in the Midwest.
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