Jacob Bridgeman takes another step forward with first PGA Tour win

Jacob Bridgeman, who has yet to make the cut in two major-championship appearances, catapulted himself into the 2026 major championship picture with a one-shot victory in the Genesis Invitational on Sunday.

The victory marked his third top-10 finish in five starts this season. He tied for fourth at the Sony Open in Hawaii and tied for eighth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Bridgeman has played in two major championships and missed the cut in both.

In the PGA Tour’s second Signature event 2026, Bridgeman posted a pair of 7-under-par 64s in the first three rounds to build a six-shot lead entering the final round. He held at least a share of the lead after each round, and held on by one shot over Rory McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

For the week, Bridgeman led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green at 5.985 and Strokes Gained: Putting at 7.307. He earned 700 FedExCup points and moved from No. 14 to No. 1 in the standings, the highest position of his career.

The 26-year-old secured his first PGA Tour title in his 66th career start.  

Bridgeman also became the first first-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, in which three of the first six PGA Tour events were won by former major champions.

Scottie Scheffler, who won his third and fourth major titles in 2025, captured The American Express by four shots earlier this season. Scheffler is the defending champion at the Masters Tournament and the defending champion at the PGA Championship. He has finished tied for seventh or better in the last five major championships and has 16 top-10 finishes in 25 career major starts. He will seek the career Grand Slam at this year’s U.S. Open.

Justin Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, won the Farmers Insurance Open by seven shots. Rose lost the 2025 Masters Tournament in a playoff to Rory McIlroy. He finished tied for second at the 2024 Open Championship and tied for sixth at the 2024 PGA Championship. Rose has 12 top-five finishes in major championships, including five second-place finishes and two third-place finishes.

Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa won the Tour's first Signature event, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week.

The other two PGA Tour events this season were won by Chris Gotterup. In four career major appearances, Gotterup finished tied for third at the 2025 Open Championship and tied for 23rd at the 2025 U.S. Open.

The 2026 Masters Tournament is scheduled for April 9-12 at Augusta National Golf Club. The 2026 PGA Championship will be played May 11-17 at Aronimink Golf Club. The 2026 U.S. Open is scheduled for June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The 2026 Open Championship will be held July 16-19 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.