McGirt Ohio sweep

Winning the Memorial and this World Golf Championship in the same year has happened only four times, and McGirt took a strong guess at who did it.

“Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods and Tiger Woods?” The only other player to sweep the Ohio events was Greg Norman in 1995, when the WGC at Firestone was the World Series of Golf.

The year Norman swept Ohio, his victory at Firestone allowed him to pass Tom Kite and become the tour’s career money leader at just under $9.5 million.

McGirt says his life hasn’t altered that much since his first PGA Tour title except for congratulatory messages in text and email that he is still trying to return, and a little more money ($1.53 million for his win at Muirfield Village) in the bank.

MCGIRT DEBUT: McGirt fell in love with Firestone when he arrived on Sunday, playing nine holes and riding in a cart to see the back nine.

He was among eight players to make their World Golf Championship debut on Thursday, and he opened with a 6-under 64 for a three-shot lead over Jason Day, Jimmy Walker and Emiliano Grillo.

He made four of his six birdies from outside 18 feet, and he finished his round with a 45-foot putt for par.

He already was 2 over for the round when he holed a 20-foot par putt on the eighth, and then a 25-foot par putt on the ninth.

THE FIELD: Already the smallest field at Firestone in 15 years, the field became even smaller after one round when three players pulled out.