Day ready for Woods circus at Firestone

JASON Day will have to battle enormous crowds and the Tiger Woods comeback circus if he wants to finally win the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at the course that has teased him so often.

US PGA Tour officials are expecting bumper galleries having grouped former world No.1s Day and Woods together for the opening rounds at Ohio’s famed Firestone Country Club.

Anticipation has reached fever pitch, given Woods won the tournament eight times between 1999 and 2013 — the latter being his last worldwide victory. But the 14-time major champion has not returned to Firestone since 2014, when he dramatically withdrew injured during the final round.

Now, the 42-year-old arrives in razor-sharp form having recorded top 10s in his previous two US Tour starts — including a tie for sixth at the British Open where he briefly held the lead during the final round at Carnoustie.

“It’s going to be huge,” Day said. “I’m really looking forward to it. This is the last time it’s here [at Firestone] and Tiger is coming off playing some seriously good golf at the Open Championship.

“A lot of people are excited that he could win here, and you practise and play for the chance to come up against Tiger in this kind of form.”

Though it pales in comparison to Woods’s record, Day has amassed solid results of his own at Firestone.

The Queenslander tied fourth in 2011 and third in 2016, when he held the lead during the final round only to drop three shots between the 15th and 16th holes to hand Dustin Johnson victory.

“I’d like to be able to finally finish it off. I’ve had a couple of good results here,” Day said.