The World Golf Championships - Bridgestone Invitational is one of four World Golf Championships, which debuted in 1999. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours.

Eligibility for the Bridgestone Invitational is determined as follows:

• Playing members of the last named United States and International Presidents Cup teams.
• Playing members of the last named United States and European Ryder Cup teams.
• If not otherwise eligible, players ranked among the top 50, including any players tied for 50th place, on the Official World Golf Rankings as of Monday of tournament week.
• If not otherwise eligible, tournament winners of worldwide events since the prior year's Bridgestone Invitational with an Official World Golf Ranking Strength of Field Rating of 100 points or more.
• If not otherwise eligible, the winner of selected tournaments from each of the following tours: Australasian Tour, Southern Africa Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

Tiger Woods won the first three tournaments, which were all played at Firestone Country Club.

Woods beat Phil Mickelson by one stroke in a closely contested inaugural event in 1999, then shot a tournament-record 21 under to win by 11 a year later. Woods made a memorable birdie at the 72nd hole that year with darkness settling in and flash bulbs popping. In 2001, Woods won an exciting seven-hole playoff with Jim Furyk to take home the title.

The 2002 event was contested at the Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash. Australian Craig Parry shot 15-under par and won by four -- marking his first win in the United States and the 19th of an international career.

In 2003, the competition returned to Firestone Country Club with Darren Clarke claiming the title by four strokes. This was Clarke's second World Golf Championships victory.

In 2004, Stewart Cink lead the tournament from wire-to-wire and recorded an impressive four-stroke victory over Tiger Woods and Rory Sabbatini. The victory was Cink's fourth on the PGA TOUR and first in the World Golf Championships series that brings together the best players in the world.

In 2005, Woods claimed the title for a fourth time with a one-shot victory over Chris DiMarco. The highlight of Woods' final round was making a 17-foot birdie putt on Firestone's infamous 16th hole.

In 2006, Woods successfully defended his title in a closely-contested playoff with Stewart Cink. Woods birdied the fourth playoff hole for his fifth career World Golf Championships victory in Akron.

The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, is the primary beneficiary of the World Golf Championships and the Bridgestone Invitational. The First Tee is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible golf to those who otherwise might not have an opportunity to play the game, with a special emphasis on kids. Northern Ohio Golf Charities, Inc., which has distributed millions of dollars to area charities through five decades of involvement with professional golf in Akron prior to the World Golf Championships event at Firestone, continues to benefit from the Bridgestone Invitational. A significant percentage of proceeds are distributed through Northern Ohio Golf Charities Foundation.

The International Federation of PGA Tours, formed in 1996, created the World Golf Championships to enhance the competitive structure of professional golf worldwide while preserving the traditions and strengths of the six member Tours. The member Tours are the Asian PGA, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Southern Africa Tour. The Asian PGA became the sixth member of the Federation in November 1999, having joined as an associate member in 1998. In March 2000, it was announced that the Canadian Tour had been named an Associate Member of the Federation.