PGA Tour Genesis Invitational: Newcomer beats Rory McIlroy in dramatic final

The 100th anniversary of the Genesis Invitational at the venerable Riviera Country Club couldn't have been scripted better. While 26-year-old Jacob Bridgeman celebrated his first victory on the PGA Tour, the fans experienced an emotional rollercoaster ride: Rory McIlroy struggled with his consistency, Scottie Scheffler's historic record streak came to an end and the spectators witnessed spectacular shots.

Here you can find the full results of the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational.

First victory on the PGA Tour: Jacob Bridgeman's war of nerves

What began as a triumphant march turned into a mental ordeal for Jacob Bridgeman. Starting the final day with a comfortable six-stroke lead, the young man from South Carolina even extended his lead to seven strokes early on. But the back nine at the Riviera Country Club showed its teeth. While the pursuers posted birdie after birdie, Bridgeman's cushion shrank to a wafer-thin shot after mistakes on 16 and 17.

In the end, it was a three-foot (approx. one meter) long Putt on the 18th that sealed his first victory at a signature event and a prize money of 4 million dollars. Particularly emotional: host Tiger Woods was personally waiting on the green. Bridgeman later admitted that it wasn't just the course that made him nervous, but also his idol: "From hole 16 onwards, I could hardly feel my hands. The fact that Tiger was waiting there didn't make it any easier - I'm still in awe in his presence," admitted the newly crowned champion, who now takes the lead in the FedExCup.

The PGA Tour highlights in the video

Rory McIlroy: The regret of the "lost 27 holes"

For Rory McIlroy, it was a week of "what ifs". The Northern Irishman finished tied second on 17 under Par, just one shot behind Bridgeman. Although he delivered a furious round of 67 on Sunday, he did not blame the final for his missed victory.

One highlight that electrified the crowds was his birdie on the 12th: after a precise shot from the Bunker, the ball found its way straight into the hole (see video below). Nevertheless, McIlroy was critical: "I'll be thinking about the 27 holes from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning. I failed to take my chances there." However, his ball striking seems to be back at an absolutely elite level in time for the Florida Swing.

The end of an era: Scottie Scheffler's streak comes to an end

Arguably the most impressive consistency in modern golf has come to an end for the time being. After 19 consecutive top-10 finishes, Scottie Scheffler ended up tied 12th in Los Angeles.

A disastrous Thursday (+3), caused by adverse weather conditions for the late start times, was too big a mortgage for the world number one. Despite an impressive comeback at the weekend (66-65) and a temporary push into the top 10, a late Birdie from the competition pushed him off the leaderboard in the top ten. Scheffler was his usual combative self: "I'm not a quitter. The conditions on Thursday were a pure game of chance, but my form is right."

Magic on the court: aces and slam dunks

In addition to the battle for the title, two spectacular individual shots drew thunderous applause. Max Greyserman achieved the feat of a hole-in-one on the 14th hole (Par 3). His perfectly struck Iron landed on the green and danced straight into the cup - a moment that not only earned him a new Genesis SUV, but also generated 25,000 dollars for charity.

At almost the same time, Tommy Fleetwood holed out from 158 meters on 15 for an Eagle - a so-called "slam dunk", where the ball didn't even touch the ground before disappearing into the hole.