What caught Jacob Bridgeman off guard when paired with Rory McIlroy last year

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Jacob Bridgeman has addressed the prospect of playing in the final group with Rory McIlroy on Sunday as he tries to win the Genesis Invitational at Riviera.

Bridgeman hit form again after a disappointing finish at Pebble Beach, and his back-to-back rounds of 64 have given him a six-shot lead going into the final round at Riviera.

McIlroy will join the 26-year-old contender in the final group on Sunday. He is still looking for his first win at Riviera.

Jacob Bridgeman shares thoughts on final round pairing with Rory McIlroy

They played together during the final round of last year’s BMW Championship. Bridgeman, reflecting on that experience after Saturday’s third round, believes it will be beneficial.

He stated: “I think maybe the only thing would be I know he’s going to play well tomorrow. I know that I can’t back up at all.

“But I think I feel comfortable. I was a little bit uncertain how it would be last year when I played with him in the Playoffs. And I had a big day in Baltimore, I had to play good to make the Tour Championship and I was paired with Rory and it was kind of a lot, I thought. 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 maybe it would be a little unsettling, but now I’m not worried about it.”

Recapping Bridgeman and McIlroy’s BMW Championship pairing

McIlroy did not have his best showing at Caves Valley, finishing in a tie for 12th and breaking 70 only once, during the third round.

His final round could have unravelled after he found himself four over through ten holes, though he managed to claw it back to even par by the end of the day.

Bridgeman finished two over, despite making three birdies in his first ten holes. He dropped four shots in his closing seven holes – a stretch that might have reflected the pressure of trying to secure a spot in the Tour Championship.

In any case, he did enough to reach East Lake.

Now, Bridgeman is looking for his first PGA Tour victory – and doing it at a signature event hosted by Tiger Woods makes it even more notable. Whether the Northern Irishman finds an opening on Sunday will be something worth watching.