Tuesday 4 August 2015 11:00, UK
Marc Warren secured a late entry in to the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after a semi-final finish at the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play saw the Scot break in to the world's top 50.
Warren entered last week's event as the world No 58 but moved up nine places in the Official Golf World Rankings after winning four matches at Murcar during a busy week, eventually losing 3&2 eventual winner Kiradech Aphibarnrat in the final four.
"I have watched it on TV and it looks like a great golf course, so I’m looking forward to seeing it and playing there," Warren said.
"It’s nice to be making the trip to America a week early having got into such a big event with all the best players in the world involved. That’s where we all want to be so hopefully I can go there and play well because I have played well in America over the last year or so.
"It’s a great three weeks coming up now with a WGC, the last major of the year at the US PGA and then heading back to Europe to defend the Made in Denmark title."
Joining Warren in making his Bridgestone debut at Firestone is Troy Merritt, who has been added to the field after victory at the Quicken Loans National.
Debut success
The Murcar Links course has received universal praise from the 64-man field, both in terms of its condition and suitability for a matchplay tournament, although there was some surprise about the low attendances during the inagural event.
Despite low ticket pricing and free baseball caps for and children under 18 attending, just 11,000 spectators came through the gates during the pro-am and four days of competition.
And this was despite adult tickets being priced at £15 and children under 18 being admitted free of charge and also receiving a baseball cap.
"I wouldn't have said 'disappointed', but we thought there would be more come," former Open champion Lawrie said. "The discussion with Mike (Loggie, chief executive of Saltire Energy) was very clear.
"He was keen on keeping the price down to let people enjoy it. Why there weren't more, I don't know. I personally don't think it's expensive to come along and watch European Tour golfers for a whole day's golf, so it can't be the price.
"I certainly don't want to go down the road of complaining because that's just the wrong way of going about it. The feedback has been great from the spectators and it would have been nice to see a few more."
Lawrie also expects to have more invites at his disposal when the event is staged next year, having had to use one on himself and the other going to two-time major winner John Daly, who lost in the first round.
"A few players kind of missed out that we would have liked to have seen in the field, but we understand with a short field that the Tour are reluctant to give out too many," Lawrie added. "But going forward I think they will understand
that we need at least one or two more. Four would be a perfect number I think."
Watch the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational live throughout the week on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf
