Jacob Bridgeman Holds Off Rory McIlroy to Win Genesis Invitational at Riviera
jacob bridgeman closed out a tense final round at Riviera to claim his first PGA Tour title, making a nervy 3-foot par putt on the 18th to preserve a one-shot margin. The victory is notable now because Bridgeman held a commanding lead early but faced late pressure from established stars that nearly erased his advantage.
Jacob Bridgeman’s front-running start and shrinking lead
Bridgeman began the final round with a six-shot lead and extended it to seven with 12 holes to play. Those early holes set the template for his day, but a sequence of low rounds by challengers thinned the cushion. As Adam Scott carded a 63, Kurt Kitayama a 64 and Rory McIlroy a 67, Bridgeman’s margin was whittled to a single stroke by the 18th tee.
Final-round scoring: McIlroy, Scott and Kitayama
McIlroy, who was even par through 10 holes in the final group, mounted a late charge that included holing a bunker shot for birdie on the 12th and finishing birdie-birdie to post a 67. Scott, playing on a sponsor exemption, ran off five birdies on the back nine to close with a 63 and took fourth place, two shots behind the winner. Kitayama’s 64 included a tee shot stuck on the par-3 16th and a two-putt birdie on the par-5 17th.
Riviera moments: hole-in-one, eagle and standing-room amphitheater
The gallery at Riviera supplied dramatic moments across the closing holes: Max Greyserman aced the 14th, Tommy Fleetwood holed out for an eagle from the fairway on the 15th, and Kitayama’s 16th tee shot set up a run at birdie. The amphitheater around the 18th green filled as Bridgeman approached the final holes and the trophy presentation with tournament host Tiger Woods awaited nearby.
Closing sequence on 16–18 that decided the title
Bridgeman’s final three holes encapsulated the week: he found a bunker on 16 and had to convert a 5-foot bogey putt to stay in front, then saw his birdie chances on 17 and 18 hold up as short putts on receptive greens. He did not make a birdie over the final 15 holes and carded a 1-over 72 for the round, finishing at 18-under 266. A last-par 3-foot putt on 18 sealed a one-shot victory over McIlroy and Kitayama.
Tiger Woods, Riviera first-timers and a milestone win
Woods met Bridgeman atop the steps overlooking the 18th green and praised the achievement of winning at Riviera — a course Woods suggested he had not mastered. Bridgeman became the first player since Adam Scott in 2005 to play Riviera for the first time and leave with the trophy. He described his imagined scenario of walking up the 18th with a four-shot lead, then admitted it was a different reality when the margin shrank to one.
Performance details and player reflections
Early in the round Bridgeman had a brilliant approach to 12 feet on the third hole that drew only a smattering of applause; on the fourth he hit a strong chip that led to a bogey. He later said he lost feeling in his hands on the putter as the margin narrowed but that he managed to steady himself when it mattered. Bridgeman called the final par putt a mixture of joy and relief and summed up the closing stretch: "I thought it was going to be a lot easier... it got really hard. " What makes this notable is that Bridgeman did not hole a birdie in the last 15 holes yet still closed out the title under intense late pressure.
Scott noted that the week was encouraging after his sponsor exemption and that the 63 was his best finish since a tie for third at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai at the end of 2024. McIlroy acknowledged that closing out big tournaments is difficult and said Bridgeman played very well even amid late shakiness.
Coverage and technical notes from the week
Broad coverage of the final round included live updates and video highlights, though one live blog was unavailable during the day and displayed a message asking readers to try again later. Separately, a page meant to enhance reader experience warned that a browser was not supported and suggested downloading a more current browser for optimal viewing; the directive emphasized technical compatibility rather than event content.
The result marks Bridgeman’s first PGA Tour victory and ends a week that began with him in dominant control and finished with him holding on amid rallies from multiple high-profile rivals.
