Jacob Bridgeman captured the Biltmore Championship Asheville in North Carolina on September 20 with a bogey-free, 10-under-par 61 in the final round, securing a two-stroke victory over Ben James. The 26-year-old Bridgeman, ranked 29th globally and the highest-ranked player in the field, carded a 72-hole total of 26-under 258 at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. His performance marked a career-low round and tied the second-lowest final-round score recorded by a PGA Tour winner in the past decade.
Bridgeman began his comeback by birdieing three of the first four holes, erasing a deficit entering the final day. A pivotal moment came with a 10-foot eagle putt on the par-5 eighth hole, followed by additional birdies on the 10th and a string of three consecutive birdies starting at the 13th hole. Notably, Bridgeman was flawless on the greens throughout the tournament, finishing as the top putter on the tour this season and leading the field with an impressive strokes gained: putting metric of 8.132 for the week. He credited clutch par saves on holes 11 and 12 as crucial to maintaining his lead.
A two-putt birdie on the 17th hole extended his advantage to two strokes, allowing him to close out the victory. Bridgeman reflected on his season goals, noting he aimed to secure a win, qualify for the Tour Championship at East Lake, and make the U.S. Presidents Cup team—all of which he accomplished, with this victory marking his second win of the season.
Despite Bridgeman’s impressive final round, it was matched by runner-up Ben James and nearly surpassed by J.T. Poston, who narrowly missed a 26-foot putt on the final hole that would have completed a rare sub-60 score. Poston finished tied for fifth, one stroke behind Ricky Castillo and 54-hole leader Neal Shipley.
This tournament marked the PGA Tour’s return to Western Carolina for the first time in 84 years. Bridgeman, a Clemson University graduate and a member of The Cliffs community encompassing courses across North and South Carolina, acknowledged the advantage of playing on familiar territory and enjoying local fan support.
Bridgeman’s victory represents his seventh top-10 finish this season and his third consecutive. Earlier this year, he secured his first PGA Tour title at the Genesis Invitational. His strong season performance earned him a captain’s pick on the U.S. Presidents Cup team, which will face the International Team at Medinah No. 3 in Chicago later this week. Bridgeman described the selection as the “coolest thing ever” and expressed excitement about heading into the event on a winning note, especially with the support of his family present.