Jacob Bridgeman hangs on to claim first PGA Tour title at Riviera

LOS ANGELES – Jacob Bridgeman held his nerve as his seven-shot lead dwindled to one, draining a short par putt at the 72nd hole to claim his first PGA Tour title with a one-shot triumph at the Genesis Invitational on Feb 22.

The 26-year-old American had started the day with a six-shot advantage that swelled to seven after his birdies at the first and third.

But those were his only birdies of the day, with Bridgeman grinding his way to a one-over 72 at the iconic Riviera Country Club for an 18-under total of 266 that left him one clear of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama of the US.

McIlroy started six back in second and carded a four-under 67 while Kitayama powered up the leaderboard with a seven-under 64.

Aussie veteran Adam Scott, winner at Riviera in 2020, had eight birdies in an eight-under 63 to finish alone in fourth on 268.

“I thought it was going to be a lot easier than that,” admitted Bridgeman, who had cruised to back-to-back 64s on Feb 20 and Feb 21.

His third bogey of the day, from a greenside bunker at the par-three 16th, saw his lead reduced to one.

“I didn’t really feel really crazy nervous until I had a five-footer for bogey on 16,” he said. “That one was sketchy. I hit a really good putt and luckily it went in and then I was really nervous from there on out.”

He was in a greenside bunker again at the par-five 17th, and two-putted from 21 feet for par.

At the 18th, he put his approach at 20 feet from the pin and after leaving that one short, Bridgeman finally made the putt which secured the win.

“I couldn’t even feel my hands on the last couple of greens, just hit the putt hoping it would get somewhere near the hole,” he said. “And both of them I left a mile short – I’m glad it’s done now.”

McIlroy, who completed his career Grand Slam with a Masters triumph in 2025, had five birdies for the day including a hole-out from a greenside bunker at the 12th.

The world No. 2, who had struggled all week to get to grips with Riviera’s challenging greens, said his main reaction was to tell his caddie “it saves us from putting”.

McIlroy got an up-and-down birdie from a bunker at the 17th before he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt from the fringe at the last.

“Once I started to trust my reads a bit on the back nine and I went more with my first instinct, I putted a little bit better,” McIlroy said.

Kitayama, 33, chasing a third title on the tour, thrust himself into contention with four birdies in his first five holes, and had eight birdies on the day.

McIlroy said he was impressed with playing partner Bridgeman’s response to the late challenge.

“He was making a lot of pars, and then obviously at the end Kurt did what he did and Adam posted and I started to make a couple birdies,” McIlroy said. “It’s hard to close out big tournaments. Even though he was a little shaky coming down the stretch, he held it together when he needed to.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who had to battle to make the cut without a stroke to spare, carded a six-under 65 but still saw his remarkable run of 18 straight top-10 finishes end with his tie for 12th on 11-under. Fellow American Jordan Spieth, Sweden’s Alex Noren and Min Woo Lee of Australia finished tied-12th alongside Scheffler.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods is keeping the door slightly ajar for a return to professional golf at the Masters in April.

A five-time Masters winner and 15-time Major champion, Woods again teased golf fans on Feb 21 when he joined Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman in the CBS booth during the third round of the Genesis Invitational. Woods, of course, is the host of the event.

The 50-year-old last competed at the 2024 Open Championship before undergoing disc replacement surgery in October. He also had surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles in March 2025.

“Is there a possibility that you can get out there?” Immelman asked Woods.

“There is,” Woods said.

Nantz then asked Woods if he would play any tournaments before the Masters.

“I don’t know,” he said.

AFP, REUTERS