AKRON, Ohio — There’s a fascinating, made-for-TV soap opera brewing at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.
The first-round leader is Adam Scott, who shot a sterling 8-under-par 62 at Firestone Country Club.
Scott has Steve Williams, the caddie Tiger Woods fired last month after 12 record-setting years together, on his bag.
Williams, in fact, was on Woods’ bag for all seven of his victories at Firestone.
On the practice range, Woods and Williams crossed paths several times without as much as a glance at each other.
The weather was so hot Woods was sweating through his clothes before he got to the first tee, but the vibe around him and Williams was downright frosty.
None of that, however, matters to Scott, who had Williams on his bag when Woods was hurt.
“It’s none of my business,” he said.
What is Williams’ business is making the talented Scott the winner he should be.
“I think he believes in my game, that I can be one of the best players in the world,” Scott said. “I think he thinks he can help me achieve that, and I believe that, too.”
Scott joked that, because Williams has enjoyed such success at this event with Woods over the years, he was ho-hum about the 62 he posted.
“He just seems to have a lot of good rounds in him around this place, that’s for sure,” Scott said. “He didn’t think it was a big deal to shoot 62. It was normal.”
Scott said he hasn’t spoken to Woods since he fired Williams.
“I don’t think it should be awkward. I mean, this kind of thing happens on the Tour,” Scott said. “It happens a lot every year with everyone, and just because it’s Tiger and Steve, I’m not going to treat it like it’s anything different than anyone else going through this.
“I hope it’s not going to be awkward. I don’t have a problem, but if he has a problem, then he can definitely tell me.”