Jacob Bridgeman has opened up on what Tiger Woods said to him after he won the Genesis Invitational at Riviera on Sunday, picking up his first-ever PGA Tour win.
If you had told viewers before the final round of the Genesis Invitational that it would be decided by a single shot, they might have assumed Jacob Bridgeman had let it slip.
The 26-year-old entered the final day at Riviera with a six-shot lead and was rarely under serious pressure until late in the round.
It came down to a four-foot par putt on the last, which he rolled in to hold off Kurt Kitayama and Rory McIlroy and got to shake hands with Tiger Woods afterwards.
Holding his nerve, Bridgeman successfully secured his maiden victory at one of the PGA Tour’s most iconic venues.
Tiger Woods and Jacob Bridgeman share words after Genesis win
Riviera has proven a tough venue for even the biggest names in golf. Jack Nicklaus, Scottie Scheffler, and McIlroy have all left without a trophy there.
And even Woods never got his hands on that title. After the final round, Bridgeman shared what the 15-time major champion said to him about it during their conversation.
“I don’t know what he said when I first walked up the hill, but walking down the hill he was saying kind of how amazing walking down and seeing the amphitheater and all the people, how amazing the 18th hole is here and how cool it is to win here. And he said, You’ve got one on me. So I guess he’s never won yet. I got one thing. He’s got all the other ones, but I got one,” the 26-year-old said.
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It would have been a huge boost for the PGA Tour had Woods been able to play this week. Even though he is no longer at his peak, his presence still draws more attention than anyone else in the sport.
Players around the tour still seem to be in awe of the 50-year-old, and Bridgeman spoke about what it meant to win at an event hosted by Woods.
“Knowing he was the one to be waiting to shake the winner’s hand made it definitely a little bit more nerve-racking just because when I was growing up, my youngest golf memory was watching him on TV. When he was in his prime, I was learning to talk and walk and play golf.
“He’s the best player of all time by far. I think some of the things that he’s done on the golf course are incredible, will never be beaten. I’m still kind of in awe of him, and if you ever wanted to pass some time, just look up some Tiger Woods highlights, it’s pretty incredible,” he concluded.
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