CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Clemson All-American Jacob Bridgeman shot a bogey-free 61 in the final round to win the Biltmore Championship at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville, N.C. It was the second victory of the year for Bridgeman, who played for the Tigers from 2018-22.
Bridgeman had rounds of 66-67-64-61 in finishing with a score of 26-under par 258. He finished the 72 holes with two eagles, 28 birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey. His 30 under-par holes led the field. He also led the field in strokes gained putting, a statistic he has ranked first on the PGA Tour most of the season. He hit 47 of 52 fairways for the week and the 91 percent was tied for second in the field. With the win he has now won over $10 million this year.
Bridgeman won the tournament by two shots over former Virginia All-American Ben James. Like Bridgeman, James also shot a 61 on Sunday.
Bridgeman trailed former Ohio State All-American Neal Shipley by five shots entering the final round. So on the same weekend the Clemson football team overcame a five-point deficit in the fourth quarter of its win over North Carolina, Bridgeman overcame a five-shot deficit in the fourth round to win a tournament in North Carolina.
This was the first PGA Tour event in Asheville, N.C. since 1942 when Ben Hogan won the tournament.
Bridgeman’s 61 tied for the low round by a former Clemson golfer on the PGA Tour, as did his 10-under-par score. Lucas Glover shot a 61 at the 2016 Wyndham Championship in the second round, and had a 61 in the third round of the Shriners Championship in 2019. It was also the low fourth round by a former Clemson golfer in a PGA Tour event. It was the eighth time a former Clemson golfer has shot 10-under-par for a round.
The native of Inman, S.C. had eight birdies, an eagle and nine pars on Sunday. A key hole was the par five eighth hole when he made a 10 foot putt for eagle. He also made par putts of 13 feet on the 11th hole and a 12 footer for par on the 12th. He shot a five under-par 30 on the front nine, the second straight day he shot a 30 on the front.
Earlier this year Bridgeman won the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. He joins Lucas Glover as the only former Tigers to win two tournaments in the same year. Glover won the Wyndham Championship in Charlotte and the St. Jude Classic in Memphis in back to back weeks in 2023.
Bridgeman will be a member of the United States President’s Cup team that will begin competition at Medina Country Club in Chicago on Thursday. He is the first former Tiger to play for the US in the President’s Cup since Glover played in 2009, the year he won the US Open.
Bridgeman became just the sixth player to win two PGA Tour events this year. “I really wanted to win a tournament in front of my parents and family,” said Bridgeman who now lives in Greenville. His parents were not in Los Angeles when he won in January. “They have done so much for me. “
Bridgemen led the field in strokes gained putting and he said that was a key to the victory. “I really think a key to winning today was when I made those par putts on 11 and 12. I saw the putting lines all week and that was important.”