Jacob Bridgeman secured his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Genesis Invitational, holding off Rory McIlroy by one stroke at Riviera Country Club. The 26-year-old from South Carolina finished at 18-under par, earning $4 million from the $20 million purse. Tournament host Tiger Woods presented the trophy, noting Bridgeman now has an achievement he lacks.
Jacob Bridgeman, a former Clemson University standout from Inman, South Carolina, won the 2026 Genesis Invitational on February 23, overcoming a tense final round to claim his first PGA Tour title. Entering Sunday with a six-shot lead over McIlroy, Bridgeman shot a 1-over 72, including a bogey on the 17th after a long bunker shot. He sealed the win with a 3-foot par putt on the 18th, finishing at 18-under par, one stroke ahead of McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama, who tied for second.
McIlroy, the world No. 2, mounted a strong back-nine charge, birdieing the 11th and holing out from a bunker for birdie on the 12th. He narrowed the gap to three after Bridgeman's bogey on 16, then birdied 17 and drained a 30-foot birdie putt on 18 to reach 17-under. This moved him from a potential tie for third with Adam Scott to sole second, boosting his earnings from $1.2 million to $1.8 million. "It probably earned me an extra 400, 500 grand so it’s fine," McIlroy quipped when asked if the make felt cruel after missing earlier putts.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler ended his record 18-consecutive top-10 streak with a tie for 12th, despite a final-round 65 that included a back-nine 31. He started with a 3-over 74, barely making the cut with an 8-foot par on 18 Friday. "This place and I have like a weird relationship," Scheffler said of Riviera, a course that has also eluded Woods and McIlroy.
Bridgeman led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+6) and on the greens (+7), crediting swing coach Scott Hamilton for his iron-play improvement. "I know how far the ball's going, which is mind-blowing for a pro to say, but I actually do now," he said. Woods, who has never won at Riviera despite 15 starts and a runner-up in 1999, joked post-round that Bridgeman now has "something I don’t."
The victory propelled Bridgeman to No. 20 in the world rankings and atop the PGA Tour money list with $5.2 million. Adam Scott finished fourth with a final-round 63, earning $1 million. Other top finishers included Collin Morikawa (T7) and Xander Schauffele (T12). Bridgeman withdrew from the upcoming Cognizant Classic but plans to defend his lead.
