Jacob Bridgeman secured victory at the PGA Biltmore Championship on Sunday with an impressive final round of 10-under-par 61, closing the tournament at 26-under 258. The event took place at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville, North Carolina. Bridgeman's performance included eight birdies and an eagle, notably birdieing four of the last six holes to maintain a two-stroke lead over fellow American Ben James.
The 26-year-old Bridgeman, from nearby Inman, South Carolina, claimed his second PGA Tour title after winning earlier this year at Riviera. Speaking after his win, Bridgeman described the moment as “magical” and expressed excitement about playing in front of family and friends. He also looked ahead to next week’s Presidents Cup at Medinah, where he will represent the United States for the first time, calling it “a dream come true.”
Ben James also shot a career-low round of 61 to finish second at 260, one stroke ahead of Americans Ricky Castillo and Neal Shipley, who tied for third place. J.T. Poston and Jackson Koivun shared fifth place with a total of 263. Poston, who started the final round 11 strokes behind Bridgeman, recorded a 60, narrowly missing a 59 after a missed birdie putt on the 18th hole. Poston described the round as “pretty special” and valued the experience of putting together such a strong performance.
During the final round, Bridgeman pulled ahead with birdies on several key holes, including a 10-foot eagle putt at the par-five eighth and a five-foot birdie putt at the 10th hole. The lead exchanged hands in the closing stretch as James made a 26-foot birdie putt at the 16th. However, Bridgeman responded with birdies on the 14th and 17th holes, securing his lead with a closing par on the 18th. He earned the tournament’s $900,000 first prize.
The PGA Biltmore Championship marked the start of the PGA Tour’s new fall series, a set of events providing opportunities for players who did not make the playoffs to improve their standing for the upcoming season. This $5 million tournament attracted strong performances from several Americans seeking to enhance their status ahead of the next year’s schedule.