By lunchtime on Sunday, U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker may have had a pit in his stomach. If that was the case, by the time dinner came around, that indigestion had likely subsided.
J.J. Spaun talked all week from England about how he felt snubbed, that at No. 17 in the world and having won a PGA Tour event this year, he believed he had done enough to warrant wearing red, white and blue for Snedeker this week at Medinah.
With a chip on his shoulder, Spaun topped a stacked field at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth—one that included Rory McIlroy, who tied for second place—and said Snedeker called him the “odd man out” a couple weeks ago during their phone call.
Hours later in Asheville, N.C., two men who Snedeker picked instead of Spaun—Jacob Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun—were making birdies aplenty. Bridgeman made eight birdies and an eagle to shoot 10-under 61 and win the Biltmore Championship, his second tour victory this year after collecting the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. Koivun, the new pro who won the 3M Open in Minnesota, rallied to shoot 65 and tied for fifth place.
“Just wanted to get in kind of a competitive feel again,” said the 26-year-old Bridgeman, who, at No. 29 in the world ranking was the best player in the field. “I had a couple weeks off. Played a bunch of golf in there, practiced a ton, so just kind of wanted to get the competitive reps in and see where my game was, and I'm pretty pleased.”
He’s not the only one. There was a whole team at Medinah in Chicago waiting for him and Koivun to join them. So Bridgeman quickly wrapped up duties and interviews as the tournament champion and the two jumped on a plane to head north.
It’s been a whirlwind year for Bridgeman. He started the year ranked 81st in the world and still, believing in himself, he made three lofty goals: to win a tournament, qualify for the Tour Championship at East Lake and play in the Presidents Cup.
Check. Check. Check.
The victory this week was gravy. He lives 65 miles south in Greenville, S.C., attended Clemson and had his parents, wife, cousins and friends were all tracking his every move Sunday at the Biltmore. They all were rewarded by watching the best putter on tour put together another stellar performance on the greens, gaining more than 8 shots with the flatstick against the field for the week.
Opening rounds of 66-67 at the Cliffs at Walnut Grove had him barely keep pace before a third-round 64 moved him within a few shots of the top. On Sunday, Bridgeman birdied three of the first four holes, rolled in a 10-footer for eagle on the eighth hole and was squarely in the hunt.
But there were still a lot of contenders, as Bridgeman was tied with J.T. Poston, Ben James, Ricky Castillo and Neal Shipley with nine holes remaining. Poston was farther along in his round and had a putt for 59 on the last but settled for 60. Shipley and Castillo simply didn’t make enough birdies to keep pace, but James birdies Nos. 15-17 to shoot a 61 of his own, although it was two shots short in a solo second-place finish.
“I wasn't really thinking about winning,” said James, 23, the recent Virginia grad who earned tour status via the PGA Tour University rankings. “I knew that it would probably take something in the 50s.
“Still played a heck of a round of golf and looking forward to keeping the momentum going to Utah.”
Alex Slitz
Bridgeman unloaded with three consecutive birdies on 13, 14 and 15 and had grabbed control. With another at 17 the only thing in question was the margin of victory. It was two as he ended with a 26-under-par 258 total.
“It was my goal today to get off to a hot start and see where I was at, and I just kept it rolling,” he said. “I felt like when I turned I just made enough ground. Then it was kind of a tournament between all of us. Didn't feel like I had to chase anymore.
“Then, yeah, the putter was just rolling well all week. Seeing the lines great. Made a ton of birdies and some crucial par saves. Really pleased with my game.”
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