Rory McIlroy shot a solid four-under-par 67 at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles, but it wasn’t enough to catch Jacob Bridgeman, who took home the win by just one shot. McIlroy started the day six strokes behind the leader, and although he made five birdies, Bridgeman held strong.
The 26-year-old Bridgeman, who was emotional on the 18th green, secured his first PGA Tour title while finishing on 18 under. He is the first player to win this prestigious event in his debut since 1975. Earlier in the tournament, he had a seven-shot lead but faced pressure as the day went on.
Despite a rocky final round, including three bogeys, Bridgeman kept the competition at bay. McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama, who both finished at 17 under, put up a good fight. Kitayama scored an impressive seven-under-par 64 to tie with McIlroy for second place.
McIlroy, ranked number two in the world, had a challenging start but found his rhythm on the back nine. A fantastic shot from a greenside bunker on the 12th helped him close the gap, making it a tense finish as he sank a long putt to get within one shot.
In the midst of this nail-biting finish, Bridgeman remained composed. His win propels him into the top 25 of the world rankings for the first time. England’s Tommy Fleetwood also made waves with a four-under-par 67, finishing joint-seventh, highlighted by a remarkable eagle on the 15th hole.
World number one Scottie Scheffler finished 12th after a strong final round, putting an end to his streak of 18 consecutive top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. Another notable moment came from Marco Penge, a co-leader after the second round, who ended tied for 16th.
Fans took to social media to celebrate Bridgeman’s impressive win, with many sharing clips of his emotional moment on the 18th green. “It’s inspiring to see someone so newly-planted in the sport achieving greatness,” tweeted one viewer.
The Genesis Invitational remains a powerful stage for emerging talents, and Bridgeman’s victory brings fresh energy to the future of golf. With this experience, he could be a name to watch in upcoming tournaments.
For more insights into this event, you can visit the PGA Tour website.
