Rivals wary of Woods effect at Firestone

AKRON, Ohio, Aug 2 (Reuters) Five-times champion Tiger Woods overshadows this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club where his rivals know they have to focus on their own games.

South Korea's K.J. Choi, a double winner on the 2007 PGA Tour, has his own strategy in mind but British Open champion Padraig Harrington readily accepts Woods is the player to beat.

''The important thing is not worrying about what Tiger has done or what Tiger is doing but to focus on what I can do,'' Choi told reporters during preparation for today's opening round.

''I want to win every tournament that I play in but instead of setting these big, abstract goals, I need to be really detailed about my plans, my goals.

''I have to really analyse what I need to do in detail, how I need to hit that shot, in order to have a chance,'' added the Korean, who won this year's Memorial tournament in Ohio and the Woods-hosted AT&T National in Maryland earlier this month.

''If I can just focus on what I have to do, what I have to accomplish, then I don't think it'll be a big problem facing Tiger.'' Harrington, who became Europe's first major winner in eight years with his playoff victory at the British Open 10 days ago, has compiled a mediocre record at Firestone.

''Unfortunately for me this is not one of my happy hunting grounds and it is for Tiger,'' said the Irishman, who has produced just one top-15 finish here in eight starts.

CHALLENGING TIGER ''I wouldn't like to put my career on the line with challenging Tiger this week and being judged on that alone. I can't control what he's doing, I've just got to play my game and see what happens.'' Harrington conceded he always checked the world number one's score at the end of each round.

''There are very few players in any event that I would actually consciously look at and see what score they shot,'' he said. ''But they all look at Tiger's score.

''We are aware, when we finish on Thursday, we look at our own score and you look at who's leading and then you kind of check, I wonder where Tiger is.'' While nowhere near as successful as Woods, fellow American Stewart Cink also enjoys a high comfort level at Firestone.

Champion here in 2004, Cink finished seventh on his debut in 2000 and lost out to Woods at the fourth extra hole in a playoff for last year's title.

''It's always a great place to come back and rekindle the confidence,'' the 34-year-old said.

''It challenges all parts of the game and if you feel like you're playing pretty well, you know you're going to have a shot at being in the lead.'' REUTERS SAM BST0715