Jacob Bridgman won the Genesis Invitational on Sunday, defeating Rory McIlroy by one stroke.
Despite leading by six strokes by the final round, Bridgeman was under pressure from McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama.
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The 26-year-old didn’t perform as well as he did in the first three races, but it was still enough to win on the Riviera.
After playing alongside Bridgeman in the final group, McIlroy explained how he was impressed by the first-time PGA Tour winner.
Rory McIlroy praises Jacob Bridgman after Genesis Invitational
Bridgeman shot a 1-over 72 in the final round, which was enough to finish ahead of McIlroy and Kitayama.
He looked nervous at times on the back nine, but also played some quality shots and made some clutch putts.
McIlroy recognizes the difficulty of winning his first PGA Tour event and was impressed with Bridgeman’s mentality.
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He even suggested that Bridgeman’s score (+1) was not an accurate reflection of the solid golf he played throughout the day.
“I thought he handled everything really well,” McIlroy recalled. “Like I said at the beginning, I didn’t put any pressure on him so maybe I didn’t feel he needed to do that much, but he played very well.
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
“I was surprised that he was even par because I felt like he had a lot of control over the golf ball. His drive was great and he hit the irons well. But it’s hard to shut out a big tournament. It’s hard.”
“He was a little wobbly on the way down, but he held his own when he needed to. He held a clutch come-from-behind putt on par 13.
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“He made a smart play on the 16th where he missed in the bunker. That last putt is not easy. If you keep it a little short, the crowd will react, so you have to take your time a little bit. It’s not easy to hit the putt.”
“I gave him all the props. He did what he had to do. I’m happy for him.”
Rory McIlroy disappointed with his putting in final round
McIlroy will feel he missed a golden opportunity to beat Bridgeman to win Sunday’s Genesis Invitational.
The Northern Irishman had a great performance from tee to green in the final round but couldn’t make enough putts to catch his playing partner.
McIlroy lost 1.88 strokes on the greens Sunday, the second-worst putting performance among the top 20 players.
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Had he converted one of his many birdie chances, he would have faced Bridgeman in a playoff for the title.
Still, McIlroy can be pleased with his improved performance ahead of next month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship.
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