LOS ANGELES — Jacob Bridgman continued his scorching streak at Riviera on Saturday, by no means letting up as he posted his lowest rating of the day with a 7-under 64, six strokes forward of Rory McIlroy on the Genesis Invitational.
Bridgeman is aiming for his first PGA Tour title and, given the wonderful climate, may have an opportunity to interrupt the document for longest 72-hole gap on the PGA Tour.
Bridgeman shot 19-under 194 and Lanny Wadkins gained in 1985 with 20-under 264.
The 26-year-old from Clemson wasn’t taking part in like he wasn’t profitable on the PGA Tour. He began with two birdies in three holes and hit a 7-wood to 30 inches on the 262-yard fourth gap. However the perfect was nonetheless forward of him.
Bridgeman had birdie, eagle, birdie in a row to take a two-stroke lead into the again 9, and on the par-5 eleventh he hit his 7-wood to the within of his foot for eagle, and on the tough twelfth he made a 12-foot birdie putt for the proper pin, extending his result in six strokes.
From there, it turned a query of who would be a part of him within the closing combine.
McIlroy was cautious on the quick, bumpy greens late within the afternoon, ending his spherical of 69 with seven consecutive pars.
“I attempted my finest,” McIlroy stated. “I want I had been a bit of nearer to the lead. I feel I will be within the final group. Hopefully I can put a bit of stress on Jacob tomorrow. I gave myself an opportunity and that is all I can ask for.”
McIlroy is one in every of 9 gamers on the PGA Tour to win with a six-stroke lead after 54 holes. He rallied to defeat Scotty Scheffler within the 2023 Tour Championship and win the FedEx Cup.
Bridgeman missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the ultimate gap, however a fast begin gave him no motive to really feel nervous concerning the weekend. The one time he really missed a drive was when he hit it into the center of the barranca that separates the green on the par-4 eighth.
Aside from that, it was a clinic.
“It’s a dream come true to have the ability to do that on this stage on the Riviera,” Bridgman stated.
I did not have anybody else I used to be significantly near. Aaron Lai (66) was eighth behind. Xander Schauffele had an opportunity to come back shut earlier than lacking 4 quick putts on the inexperienced, three of them for birdie. Circumstances on the inexperienced had been so robust that each quick putt required a variety of care.
Britain’s Marco Penge, who shared the 36-hole lead with Bridgman, shot a 74 to fall again to 10 factors.
Scotty Scheffler improved his rating and completed across the time he teed off within the closing group. He shot a 66, his lowest spherical at Riviera, and got here inside 14 strokes. Scheffler’s solely hope was to increase his streak of prime 10s on the PGA Tour to 19.
Bridgeman reached the Tour Championship final yr and has already performed within the Masters. He had two shut calls final yr and was in competition once more at Pebble Seashore final week till a bogey from the seaside ended.
