LOS ANGELES — Jacob Bridgeman came out strong on Saturday at Riviera, maintaining his momentum to achieve the low score of the day at 7-under 64, securing a six-shot lead over Rory McIlroy in the Genesis Invitational.
As Bridgeman pursues his first PGA Tour title, the beautiful weather provides a perfect opportunity for him to challenge the longest-standing 72-hole record on the PGA Tour.
He stands at 19-under 194, while Lanny Wadkins recorded a winning score of 20-under 264 in 1985.
The 26-year-old from Clemson played as if an absence of victories on the PGA Tour didn’t faze him. He began with two birdies within three holes and then made an impressive 7-wood shot to just 30 inches on the 262-yard fourth hole. but, what followed was even better.
Bridgeman entered the back nine with a two-shot lead and then struck with a birdie-eagle-birdie streak, making a near-perfect 7-wood shot to set up an eagle on the par-5 11th and nailing a 12-foot birdie putt on the challenging 12th to extend his lead to six shots.
From that point, the focus shifted to who would join him in the final pairing.
McIlroy took a conservative approach on the greens, which were fast and bumpy later in the afternoon. He finished his round of 69 with seven consecutive pars.
“I managed to hold on,” McIlroy stated. “I wish I were a bit closer to the lead. It appears I’ll be in the final group, and hopefully I can put some pressure on Jacob tomorrow. I’ve created an opportunity for myself, and that’s all I can aim for.”
McIlroy is one of nine players on the PGA Tour who have won with a six-shot deficit after 54 holes. He fought back to defeat Scottie Scheffler in the 2023 Tour Championship, clinching the FedEx Cup.
Bridgeman, who missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole, didn’t feel any pressure heading into the weekend thanks to his rapid start. He did miss one drive, on the par-4 eighth, landing in the barranca that cuts across the fairways.
Overall, his performance was impressive.
“Playing like this on such a stage at Riviera is a dream come true,” Bridgeman remarked.
No one else was remotely close; Aaron Rai shot a 66 but trailed by eight. Xander Schauffele had the chance to stay in contention until he missed four short putts—three for birdies—on greens that demanded great focus.
Marco Penge of England, who was tied for the lead with Bridgeman after 36 holes, scored a 74 and fell ten shots behind.
Scottie Scheffler, who made the cut by a narrow margin, finished right when the last group began their round. He shot a 66, his best round at Riviera, but remained 14 shots back. Scheffler aimed to keep his top 10 streak on the PGA Tour alive, which is currently at 18.
Bridgeman has already secured a spot in the Masters following his participation in last year’s Tour Championship. He faced two close calls last year and was in contention again at Pebble Beach last week before finishing with a bogey from the beach.
