Jacob Bridgeman holds a six-shot lead over Rory McIlroy after shooting a 7-under 64 in the third round of the 2026 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. The 26-year-old American, who went viral last week for an on-course interaction, now eyes his first PGA Tour victory in the tournament's 100th anniversary. Bridgeman and McIlroy will tee off together at 2:20 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The 2026 Genesis Invitational reaches its climax on Sunday, February 22, at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, with Jacob Bridgeman positioned to claim his maiden PGA Tour title. Entering the final round at 19 under par, Bridgeman surged ahead with a third-round 64, featuring nine birdies, two bogeys, and a highlight-reel 7-wood shot from 258 yards to eight inches on the par-5 11th for a tap-in eagle. That performance gained him 6.013 strokes on approach and pulled him six shots clear of Rory McIlroy, who carded a 2-under 69 to sit at 13 under.
Bridgeman, a Clemson product who earned his PGA Tour card in 2023, reflected on the round: “It was fun and easy. Kind of the best that the golf world ever gets. My swing felt nice and it was fun out there, everyone was cheering, so yeah, it was a good day.” He acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting McIlroy's prowess: “I think maybe the only thing would be I know he’s going to play well tomorrow. I know that I can’t back up at all.”
McIlroy, seeking his 30th PGA Tour win and a first at Riviera, remains optimistic. “I've given myself a chance, not as big of a chance as I would like, but I'm going to be in the final pair and will be able to see what Jacob is doing,” he said. “But yeah, I would love to win here.”
Aldrich Potgieter holds third at 12 under after a 65, followed by Aaron Rai at 11 under. Xander Schauffele and Kurt Kitayama are tied at 10 under, while Marco Penge, who co-led after 36 holes at 12 under, slipped to 9 under with a 3-over 74. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler improved to 5 under via a third-round 66, extending his cut streak to 68 events but trailing the lead by 14 shots.
The final round tees off at 10:05 a.m. ET from the first tee, with coverage on Golf Channel from 1-3 p.m. ET and CBS from 3-6:30 p.m. ET. Bridgeman could break the tournament scoring record of 20 under, set by Lanny Wadkins in 1985, if he maintains his form.
