PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Rory McIlroy finally made his push, but it was just a hair too late.
Sitting six shots back of Jacob Bridgeman to begin the final round, he needed an early body blow. Or two. A birdie at Riviera’s par-5 first was a nice start, but everybody birdies the first at Riviera. It is a glorified par-4 for the world’s best in the modern era. Bridgeman birdied it, too. Zero ground gained.
That was the theme for the rest of the front nine. McIlroy made zero birdies on holes two through nine, and he failed to birdie the short par-4 10th as well. When you’re six back on Sunday, especially against a guy who has never won on the PGA Tour before, that is not going to get it done.
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“I just kept plugging away and trying to make something happen,” McIlroy said afterward. “I felt like I could have made something happen on the front nine if I holed a few putts but I didn't.
“It's hard,” he continued. “I think sometimes it's harder when like Jacob has a big lead and I'm not doing anything to put pressure on him so he sees that. I've had this before when I had a big lead and the guy that's playing with me isn't putting pressure on and then the guys in front are.”
Two guys in front put serious pressure on Bridgeman. One of them being 2020 Genesis winner Adam Scott, the other Kurt Kitayama. Scott posted an eight-under 63, his second of the week, to get in the clubhouse at 16 under. Kitayama had a 33-footer for birdie at the 18th to post 18 under, but two-putted for par and made Bridgeman stare at that 17 under number with only a few holes to play.
Bridgeman remained steady for much of the round, going out in even par and then making six consecutive pars to begin the back nine. It was right around then when McIlroy made his late surge, and Bridgeman started to feel a little heat.
But McIlroy had the L.A. crowd, which was firmly in his corner, believing even earlier than that. Despite an ugly pulled drive that flirted with danger on the 12th, McIlroy managed to make a preposterous birdie after dumping his second in the bunker and then holing out from there. That was his second in a row, and four holes later, McIlroy found the green at the 16th while Bridgeman found the bunker. After the Clemson alum played an extremely safe shot to 36 feet and then missed the par putt, the reigning Masters chance had an opportunity to make things seriously sweaty.
His birdie effort finished one revolution short (two inches, to be exact). Another common theme of the day. Bridgeman saved his bogey and remained two ahead of McIlroy, but just one clear of Kitayama.
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A birdie at the par-5 17th for McIlroy, and a par for Bridgeman, got him one shot closer. McIlroy went first at the last, hitting a 327-yard seed of a cut-stinger—a shot he’s worked on the last few years—leaving him with just 171 yards into the from the fairway. Bridgeman didn’t flinch, taking one up the left side and getting it to kick down into the fairway 202 yards from the hole.
Then came the most nervy part of the round for Bridgeman—the shot, and the walk, into the pressure-cooker that is the 18th green amphitheater at Riviera. He went first, going directly at the pin and getting it to stop 19 feet below the hole. McIlroy went a little long and left, but still had a birdie look from 30 feet. The gallery practically dragged the putt into the hole, McIlroy’s ball hovering over the front edge for a second and then dropping, leading to a massive eruption that undoubtedly got Bridgeman’s attention.
After he left his birdie putt nearly four feet short, the fans were hooting and hollering. Bridgeman took his time and buried it right in the center for his first tour win.
Even McIlroy was impressed.
“I thought he handled everything really well,” McIlroy said. “As I said at the start, because I wasn't putting pressure on him it probably felt to him like he didn't need to do that much, but he played very well. He was even par through—I was surprised he was even par because I felt he was very much in control of his golf ball. He drove it great, he hit his irons well.
“But it's hard, it's hard to close out big tournaments. Even though he was a little shaky coming down the stretch, he held it together when he needed to. He holed a clutch comeback putt on 13 for par, he played smart on 16 when he missed it in the bunker. That putt on the last isn't easy. Leaves it a little bit short and the crowd reacts and you've got to take your time a little bit. I give him all the props, he did what he needed to do and I'm happy for him.”
Even though the result wasn’t what he wanted, McIlroy was happy for himself, too. The T-2 finish is his career-best at this golf course, and his third inside the top five. When asked if it was cruel to finally see a long putt go in on the 18th, McIlroy allowed himself to flex.
“No, not really," he said. "It probably earned me an extra 400, 500 grand so it's fine.”
Actually, it was 600 grand. Not a bad week’s work, all things considered.