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Jacob Bridgeman won by two shots. | Credit: Getty Images
Jacob Bridgeman has claimed his second PGA Tour title of the season, beating Ben James by two shots at the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville.
Bridgeman ensured 2026 would go down as a memorable year as early as February, when he overcame some late nerves to see off Kurt Kitayama and Rory McIlroy to win the Genesis Invitational for his maiden PGA Tour title.
At the start of play on Sunday – which was delayed because of fog at North Carolina’s The Cliffs at Walnut Cove – Bridgeman didn’t appear to have a strong chance of adding to that success this week.
The 26-year-old was on 16-under-par after 54 holes, five back of overnight leader Neal Shipley.
Neal Shipley was the leader after the third round | Credit: Getty Images
He made a solid start to his final round, though, with birdies in three of his first four holes to give him a foothold.
Ricky Castillo also made an early charge for the title, going birdie-birdie-eagle on the first three holes to tie the lead.
James also mounted a formidable challenge, beginning the day seven shots off the lead before racing to six under through his opening nine holes.
Shipley, meanwhile, had a far more subdued start, beginning the final round with six consecutive pars before a bogey broke that run at the seventh.
Ben James had a brilliant round, but it wasn’t enough to catch Bridgeman | Credit: Getty Images
Bridgeman, from Greenville in South Carolina, found himself tied for the lead at the eighth when he made an eagle to go five-under for the day, while another player having a brilliant round was JT Poston.
The Memorial Tournament champion had a great chance of a 59. A birdie at the 18th would have brought him that unforgettable milestone, only for his putt to drift left as he finished 21-under for the tournament to set the clubhouse target.
Another player in the hunt was Max Greyserman. However, he was handed a one-stroke penalty at the ninth, leaving him three off co-leaders Bridgeman, Shipley and Castillo, before eventually finishing tied for 10th.
With several still in contention on the back nine, Bridgeman stepped up a gear, taking the solo lead with the first of three consecutive birdies at the 12th.
James continued to apply pressure, too, adding three more birdies on the back nine to complete a nine-under 61, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to catch the leader.
A tap-in birdie at the 17th stretched Bridgeman’s lead to two, and it seemed unlikely he would let things slip from there.
So it proved, as a par on the final hole to complete a brilliant 61 confirmed his second PGA Tour title of the season.
Following the victory, he said: “Yeah, amazing week. I played well. I think I got off to a hot start every day this week.
“I don’t know what my front nine average was, but it was pretty good. It was my goal today to get off to a hot start and see where I was at, and I just kept it rolling.”
Looking ahead to next week’s Presidents Cup, he added: “Pretty amazing. Super excited about the Presidents Cup next week. I’m very pleased with how I’m playing rolling into it, and I think everyone else is just as pumped as I am.”