Jacob Bridgeman Sends Presidents Cup Warning With Biltmore Championship Triumph

Jacob Bridgeman has put the international team on notice ahead of the Presidents Cup. The 26-year-old arrived in Asheville as a captain’s pick with just one career win. Then rallied from five shots back with a career-best 61 to claim the Biltmore Championship. Now, as he prepares for Medinah, the results have turned his strong season into a statement.

The win is a special one for Bridgeman. The Genesis Invitational champion finished at 26-under 258 for a two-shot win over Ben James. Most importantly, he did it close to home. Bridgeman grew up about an hour away, and his family was also there to watch him lift the trophy.

“I think they wanted me to get a win in front of them…I got off to a hot start every day this week,” he said

His comments about his win are certainly not without precedent. This was his second title of 2026, after he held off Rory McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama by one shot at Riviera. This championship has also given the South Carolina native his seventh top-ten finish of the season and his third in a row, making him the sixth multiple winner on the tour this year.

As for his performance, he built his lead steadily. Bridgeman opened with a 66 on Thursday and added a 67 on Friday, which left him nine under and six shots behind Neal Shipley. Saturday’s 64 lifted him to 16 under, but Shipley’s 65 kept the lead into the final round. On Sunday, fog delayed the start, but once play began, Bridgeman closed the remaining gap fast.

Bridgeman opened his round with birdies on three of his first four holes, then holed a ten-footer for an eagle on the par-5 8th. That drew him level at the top.

His back nine was just as clean. He birdied the tenth hole, then saved par from 13 feet at the 11th and again at the 12th after going bunker to bunker. Interestingly, he carded three straight birdies from the 13th to pull him clear on the lead, and another birdie on the 17th gave him a two-shot cushion to the win. Finally, he closed the round with a bogey-free 10-under 61.

Notably, his win wasn’t an easy one. Ben James, for one, applied the sharpest pressure, tailing him for the win. James began seven back but reached six under through nine holes, matching Bridgeman’s 61. However, he finished 24 under. Ricky Cassillo also tied for the lead early with a birdie-birdie-eagle start, while J.T. Poston had fired a 60 but just missed a putt for 59.

That being said, his form here also explained why Bridgeman now looks like a problem for the internationals. Captain Brandt Snedeker named him one of the six picks on September 1, even though he sat 12th in points, pointing to his consistency and putting. Bridgeman called the selection the “coolest thing ever.” He, along with Jackson Koivun, is one of the first players to make a Presidents Cup team after competing in the Junior Presidents Cup.

Jackson Koivun’s Charge Adds to Team USA’s Momentum

Now, while Bridgeman has sharpened his game in Asheville, Jackson Koivun is also preparing himself for Medinah. Jackson Koivun tied for fifth at 21-under after a bogey-free 63 on Saturday and closing with a 65. Notably, the 21-year-old has already won the 3M Open in July, beating Scottie Scheffler. He is also the youngest American picked for the event since Jordan Spieth in 2013.

Although his selection drew much criticism, he was quick to assert his presence. “Match play is one of my favorite formats,” he said.

His confidence is rightly in his place. He has helped the United States win the 2025 Walker Cup and played in Auburn’s NCAA championship teams in 2024 and 2026. So the team formats are familiar territory. Snedeker also said he is a mixture of amateur record and composure that gives him plenty of options when it comes to pairing.

With Koivun and Bridgeman both arriving in form, the U.S. has two debutants the internationals cannot afford to overlook.

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