'I know that I can't back up at all' — Bridgeman defends six-shot lead over McIlroy at Genesis Invitational
“I'd love to win here” — But Rory McIlroy is six shots behind Jacob Bridgeman in LA.
Rory McIlroy was frustrated by the tricky greens and admitted he now needs a fast start to put pressure on Jacob Bridgeman after falling six shots behind the runaway leader heading into the final round of the Genesis Invitational.
Playing famed Riviera Country Club for the first time, Bridgeman (26) put in a moving-day exhibition, shooting a sensational seven-under 64 to lead by six shots on 19 under from the Holywood star, who had 35 putts in a 69.
Bridgeman hit 12 approaches that set up birdie or eagle putts inside 12 feet and made an eagle and seven birdies to give himself a chance to beat the longest-standing 72-hole aggregate scoring record on the PGA Tour.
He’s just a shot shy of the 20-under aggregate Lanny Wadkins set in 1985, but he’s not overly concerned about playing with five-time Major champion McIlroy, having already played with him in the BMW Championship late last year.
“It was kind of a lot, I thought,” Bridgeman said of his first time playing with McIlroy. “Then I got out there, and he was super nice to me and super welcoming, and the fans were great as well.
“I think if it was my first time [playing with McIlroy], maybe it would be a little unsettling, but now I’m not worried about it.”
McIlroy will need to produce something special to reel in Bridgeman, who turned in three under before starting for home with three successive threes, going birdie-eagle-birdie at the 10th, 11th and 12th to lead by six strokes.
The Masters champion played the same stretch in level par, three putting the 10th from the fringe for bogey before following a two-putt birdie at the 11th with a frustrating run on the greens from there.
He two-putted every green bar the par-five 17th, where he three-putted from 52 feet for a frustrating par.
“Yeah, I mean, a little frustrated,” McIlroy said of his feelings about the round.
“But at the same time, I was hitting good shots and I just, I felt like every putt I left myself, it was more of a defensive putt rather than something you could have a go at.
“The greens got really fast there at the end of the day. It was just that you couldn't leave it dead.
“I just found the greens really, really difficult today. That was most of the frustration. Actually felt like I played pretty well.
“I wish I were a few shots closer to Jacob, but it looks like I'll be in the final group. at least I'll be able to keep an eye on him and maybe get off to a fast start and put a little bit of pressure on him.”
Bridgeman will take some catching if he can repeat his third-round fireworks.
He stands to win $4 million and might have had a seven-shot lead had his six-foot birdie putt at the last not bounced off line.
But he also knows McIlroy won’t make it easy for him to claim his maiden PGA Tour win in today’s final round pairing while South African Aldrich Potgieter and Aaron Rai are seven and eight shots behind, respectively.
“I think maybe the only thing would be I know he's going to play well tomorrow,” Bridgeman said. “I know that I can't back up at all.”
The Holywood star said after winning the Masters that his goal now was to win at iconic venues like Riviera.
“I'd love to win here,” he said. “I'd love to win at Memorial and, you know, get that handshake from Jack and it's the same thing with Tiger here… Look, I'm going to play my hardest tomorrow, and we'll see.”
Shane Lowry goes into the final round tied for 32nd on three under after dropping two stroke sin his last three holes to shoot 69.
Meanwhile, world number one Jeeno Thitikul triumphed at home for the first time when she closed with a four-under 68 to win the Honda LPGA Thailand by a shot from Japan’s Chizzy Iwai on 24-under-par.
Leona Maguire birdied two of her last three holes to close with a level par 72 and start her season with a tie for 32nd on 10 under.
