Riviera Showdown: Jacob Bridgeman Eyes First PGA Tour Win at Genesis

Bridgeman leads genesis invitational by 6 over McIlroy

Jacob Bridgeman holds 6-shot lead over Rory McIlroy at Genesis Invitational. Bridgeman leads McIlroy by 6 heading into final round.

“You're grinding over three-footers and all of a sudden you get one that you think you can have...”

Jacob Bridgeman is on the cusp of his first US PGA Tour title, holding a six-shot lead over Rory McIlroy heading into the Genesis Invitational final round. He shot an impressive 7-under par 64, matching the tournament's 54-hole record with a 19-under par total of 194 at Riviera Country Club.

“It was fun and easy,” Bridgeman said. “Kind of the best that the golf world ever gets.”

The 26-year-old American had a strong start, sharing a one-shot overnight lead and building a three-shot advantage with three birdies in his first four holes.

He gained momentum with four strokes in just three holes, pulling away from the pack for good.

He rolled in a 12-footer for birdie at the 10th, followed by an eagle at the par-five 11th - his 259-yard approach landed a foot from the pin.

He capped it off with an 11-footer for birdie at the 12th.

“I had to make an adjustment mid-round,” he said. “At the beginning, I kind of got off to a nice start, had a bunch of short putts and didn't really have any 15-footers where the speed matters.

“Then, kind of in the middle of my round, I hit a few (putts) way too hard and told my caddie, I've got to hit those a little softer, they're not taking a break. After that I feel like I hit a lot of good putts.”

Rory McIlroy struggled to find his rhythm on Riviera's challenging greens, managing only three birdies and a bogey in his two-under 69, totaling 200. He expressed frustration at being unable to apply pressure on leader Jacob Bridgeman.

The Northern Ireland star, who recently completed his career Grand Slam at the Masters, acknowledged his disappointment, saying, “I hung in there. I wish I was a couple closer to the lead.”

McIlroy Struggles with Riviera Greens

“The greens got really fast there at the end of the day,” McIlroy said. “You're grinding over three-footers and all of a sudden you get one that you think you can have a bit of a run at and if you hit it a little bit too hard.”

Rory McIlroy found the greens at Riviera Country Club extremely challenging, saying, “I found the greens really, really difficult today.” His struggles were evident at the par-five 17th hole, where he missed a four-and-a-half-foot birdie putt despite being on the green in two shots.

McIlroy is looking to turn things around on Sunday, stating, “I'd aim for a fast start on Sunday.”

The 21-year-old Potgieter had a strong round, claiming an eagle and six birdies in his six-under 65. This put him at 12-under, one shot clear of England's Aaron Rai, who shot a 66.

World number one Scottie Scheffler climbed the leaderboard with a five-under 66, moving to five-under 208. Scheffler has made 68 consecutive PGA Tour cuts without a stroke to spare after an erratic start to the tournament.

Leader by SIX 😲

Jacob Bridgeman just tied the 54-hole record of -19 @TheGenesisInv! pic.twitter.com/sU3nn5kCK7

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 22, 2026

Scottie Scheffler, who's been open about having a “weird” relationship with Riviera, turned things around on the back nine, making four of his six birdies and bouncing back from his only bogey with some clutch putting.

“At times it still felt weird,” he said. “The golf course is gettable in the morning, the greens are fresher. So I was able to hole a few putts, which is key.”