Genesis Invitational: Jacob Bridgeman holds off Rory McIlroy as 26-year-old wins in tournament debut

Emerson Raymont

Published: February 23, 2026 6:34 AM ET

Genesis Invitational: Jacob Bridgeman holds off Rory McIlroy as 26-year-old wins in tournament debut

Jacob Bridgeman claimed his first PGA Tour title at the Genesis Invitational, finishing on 18 under after a nervy closing stretch that left Rory McIlroy one shot adrift. The result at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles matters because Bridgeman did it in his tournament debut and moved inside the top 25 of the world rankings for the first time.

Genesis Invitational final leaderboard

The final-round leaderboard at the Genesis Invitational:

-18 J Bridgeman (US)
-17 K Kitayama (US), R McIlroy (NI)
-16 A Scott (Aus)
-15 A Potgieter (SA)
-13 J Knapp (US)
-12 C Young (US), C Morikawa (US), T Fleetwood (Eng), R Fox (NZ), X Schauffele (US)
Selected others: -11 Scheffler (US), J Speith (US)
-10 M Penge (Eng)
-9 R MacIntyre (Sco)
-7 S Lowry (Ire), M Fitzpatrick (Eng)
-6 A Rai (Eng)

Genesis Invitational: Bridgeman’s closing day and what sealed the win

Bridgeman finished with a one-over-par 72 on the final day to end at 18 under. He held a seven-shot lead early in the final round but made three bogies late, giving the chasing pack hope. On the 18th green he held back tears before sinking a three-foot putt to secure the victory. The win at one of the Signature Events pushed him inside the top 25 of the world rankings for the first time and represents his first PGA Tour title.

McIlroy’s charge fell just short

Rory McIlroy shot a four-under-par 67 in the final round but could not overhaul Bridgeman, finishing one shot behind. McIlroy started the day six shots off the lead, made five birdies overall and was even par through the first nine holes before a strong back nine. He produced a hole-out from a greenside bunker on the 12th and made four birdies on the back nine, including a 30-foot putt late in the round to get within a shot, but Bridgeman held firm.

McIlroy reflected that he regretted a run of missed chances across the previous holes and that trusting his first instincts on the back nine improved his putting and performance. Last week he finished five shots behind Collin Morikawa at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after opening rounds that included four double bogeys and three bogeys.

Key moments and earlier tournament context

Bridgeman held a six-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round after an exceptional Saturday where he shot a seven-under-par 64, the kind of round that distanced him from a star-laden leaderboard.
Earlier in the event Bridgeman hit a 259-yard approach to one foot for an eagle and sank a 19-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th.
His three bogies on the final day at Riviera Country Club opened the door for chasers such as Kurt Kitayama, who carded a seven-under-par 64 to finish tied for second on 17 under with McIlroy.
The tense final stretch included Bridgeman bogeying the 16th and leaving a putt on 18 just over three feet short before making the decisive three-foot par putt, with tournament host Tiger Woods watching the closing moments.
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Bridgeman’s background and season trajectory

The winner is 26 years old and in his third full season on tour. His victory continues a strong start to the year — he had two top-10 finishes in his opening four events, including an eighth place at Pebble Beach the week before. Bridgeman led the Genesis in putting through three rounds, a continuation of a collegiate and early-career pattern where putting has been a major strength.

He grew up a passionate Clemson fan and played four seasons at the university from 2018 to 2022, tying the program record with five individual wins. His college résumé includes medalist honors at the 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and the 2022 ACC Player of the Year award, plus All-America Second Team honors in 2021 and 2022. Bridgeman finished No. 2 in the 2022 PGA TOUR University Ranking, which earned him immediate status on the Korn Ferry Tour; he finished 14th on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List in his first full season and was promoted to the PGA Tour.

He made the TOUR Championship in 2025 after making 19 cuts in 30 starts and recording five top-10s, highlighted by a tie for second at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches; he finished tied for 27th at the TOUR Championship. Earlier in his career he led for three rounds at the Valspar Championship before Viktor Hovland overtook him on the final day, with Bridgeman finishing in a tie for unclear in the provided context.

What this means going forward

Bridgeman’s first PGA Tour victory in his tournament debut at the Genesis Invitational — the first player to do so since 1975 — marks a milestone for a player who has steadily built his resume. The win should bolster his confidence and ranking position, while McIlroy’s late surge underlines that contenders remain close when leaders falter. Details may evolve, but the core outcome is clear: Bridgeman held his nerve to capture a signature event and McIlroy finished one shot behind.