AKRON, Ohio — When Brandt Snedeker headed out the door for work Wednesday morning, his 2-year-old daughter, Lily, asked him to stay.

“She told me, ‘No golf today,’” Snedeker said as he prepared to play in his third golf tournament in three weeks, the Bridgestone Invitational, which begins Thursday.

But for Snedeker, who won the Canadian Open on Sunday and finished tied for 11th at the British Open the previous week, this was not the time for a break.

He said he wanted to maintain his momentum as he goes into this week’s event and next week’s final major of 2013, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.

“This is a great time of year to be playing my best golf,” Snedeker said.

This current stretch on the PGA Tour, with four tournaments in four weeks, is not for the meek or those trying to find their game. And there is little break afterward with the FedEx Cup playoffs beginning in late August.

“It’s a lot of golf at the end of the year,” said Tiger Woods, a seven-time Bridgestone winner.

After finishing a disappointing sixth at the British Open, Woods skipped the Canadian Open to spend time with his children in the Bahamas. He said he needed the break during this long end-of-the-year haul, which does not conclude until the President’s Cup in early October.

“I think a break is important, especially with two big tournaments with a major as the second one,” he said in reference to the Bridgestone and the PGA Championship.

But other players, like Snedeker and Jim Furyk, said momentum from consecutive weeks of strong finishes can build into the next tournament.

“Obviously, confidence builds upon itself,” said Furyk, who tied for ninth at the Canadian Open. “I’d like to build on what I started last week.”

Furyk, like Snedeker, is sponsored by RBC, which also sponsors the Canadian Open. And players rarely miss a tournament that involves their sponsor.

The key to surviving a particularly grueling run of tournaments, several players said, is to pace yourself, rest when possible and get immersed in things other than golf.

Snedeker said he took Monday and Tuesday off this week to spend time with members of his family, whom he had not seen in 2 1⁄2 weeks. They went to the Akron Zoo.

But that was just a catch-your-breath break. Between the U.S. Open and the British Open, Snedeker took a planned four-week break, anticipating these four weeks would be difficult.

“I knew this stretch was coming,” said Snedeker, who won the FedEx Cup last season after playing nine tournaments in 10 weeks. “I feel like I’m rested. I’m ready to go.”

He will tee off today at 1:30, paired with Rory McIlroy, last year’s PGA Championship winner.

McIlroy took last week off, spending four days in Monaco before heading home to Northern Ireland, where he worked on his game with his coach and played golf with friends.

“It was nice to go out and play just for the sake of playing,” he said.

McIlroy said he usually took the week off after a major, but he especially needed the break this year after feeling “despondent” about missing the cut at the British Open.

Snedeker said players did not want to stop if they are playing well, but some time off could help if a player is struggling.

“I just feel like going into a major, you need good momentum,” Snedeker, 32, said.

Furyk, 43, said this was the only time of year when he would play four tournaments in a row, although it is tiring.

Hunter Mahan, who had a top-10 finish at the British Open and was leading the Canadian Open after the second round, did not blame fatigue or poor play for his unexpected exit last weekend. He headed home mid-tournament when his wife went into early labor and gave birth to their first child, Zoe.

He opted to skip Bridgestone and stay home this week. His PGA Championship performance could reflect whether the layoff helped or hurt his momentum. As for Snedeker, he is ready to go.

“I’m playing well right now, so I’m happy to be playing,” he said.

FedEx Cup Leaders

Through Sunday:

Rank. Player Points YTD Money

1. Tiger Woods 2,481 $6,159,119

2. Matt Kuchar 2,203 $4,857,908

3. Brandt Snedeker 2,178 $4,829,911

4. Phil Mickelson 2,118 $4,860,810

5. Billy Horschel 1,461 $3,060,043

6. Justin Rose 1,358 $3,032,310

7. Bill Haas 1,320 $2,902,296

8. Kevin Streelman 1,260 $2,605,882

9. Boo Weekley 1,206 $2,360,936

10. Jason Day 1,182 $2,668,138

World golf ranking

1. Tiger Woods

2. Phil Mickelson

3. Rory McIlroy

4. Justin Rose

5. Adam Scott

6. Matt Kuchar

7. Brandt Snedeker

8. Graeme McDowell

9. Luke Donald

10. Lee Westwood