Bridgeman Leads Genesis Invitational by 6 Strokes After Saturday’s 64

Jacob Bridgeman Dominates at Genesis Invitational, Holds Six-Stroke Lead

At the end of moving day at the Genesis Invitational, Jacob Bridgeman found himself in a commanding position – six strokes ahead of the competition. The 26-year-old from South Carolina recorded a second consecutive round of 64 on Saturday, bringing his tournament total to 19 under par.

Bridgeman is experiencing Riviera Country Club for the first time during this tournament. His performance has been marked by precision, leaving spectators impressed with what was the lowest score of the day. He now leads Rory McIlroy, who shot a 69, by a significant margin.

“I felt great all day,” Bridgeman said. “I had a nice start and that got me a little bit of a gap.”

Playing his third official round at Riviera, Bridgeman navigated the renowned course with the poise of a veteran. He is now 18 holes away from a potential first PGA Tour victory and the $4 million winner’s check. He also has the opportunity to challenge the tournament scoring record.

Lanny Wadkins set the 72-hole record at Riviera, shooting 20-under 264 to win the Los Angeles Open in 1985. Bridgeman has already tied the event’s 54-hole record of 194, previously held by Joaquin Niemann, who was also 19 under through three rounds in 2022.

“To be doing this on this stage is a dream for me,” Bridgeman said.

England’s Marco Penge began the round tied with Bridgeman for the lead, but struggled throughout the day. He finished tied with Max Greyserman for seventh place at nine under.

McIlroy briefly tied for the lead with a four at the par-five first, but Bridgeman quickly regained sole possession with a par on the same hole. He then followed with back-to-back birdies to reach 15 under.

South African Aldrich Potgieter made a strong move, eagling the first hole and reaching 12 under after birdies at the 10th and 12th. Xander Schauffele also joined him at 12 under with a birdie at the 10th, while McIlroy briefly returned to 12 under before a three-putt bogey.

“It’s awesome,” Potgieter said, learning that his swing and strategy were analyzed on live television by tournament host Tiger Woods. “I almost walked into him a few times in the clubhouse. This represents a special place.”

Potgieter shot a 65 and sits alone in third at 12 under. Aaron Rai is fourth at 11 under, and Schauffele is tied with Kurt Kitayama for fifth at 10 under.

McIlroy remained steady, parring the final seven holes, but was unable to close the gap. He expressed satisfaction with his resilience, stating, “It’s awesome. The greens got so fast, so soft and they got bumpy later in the day. It was hard for me to trust my reads but I’m proud of myself. I stayed patient.”

Bridgeman encountered a setback at the eighth hole, landing a bunker shot short of the green and incurring his first bogey. However, he recovered with a par on the ninth and made the turn with a two-stroke lead over McIlroy, Potgieter, and Schauffele. He then extended his advantage with a birdie at the 10th and an eagle at the 11th.

Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 ranked player, carded six birdies – a significant improvement from his first two rounds – to shoot a 66 and reach five under, despite starting the day 12 shots back.

“I played solid today,” Scheffler said. “The course is gettable in the morning as the greens are fresher. So I was able to hole a few putts, which is key. I was glad to get an early tee time and see what I can do. I wanted to shoot a little bit lower, but overall five under is pretty solid.”