Photo by Srixon/Cleveland Golf (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Jacob Bridgeman goes from Presidents Cup to a 63 to lead the PGA Tour stop in Japan

Jacob Bridgeman followed up his standout performance at the Presidents Cup with another dominant round, carding an 8-under 63 to seize a one-shot lead at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan. The PGA Tour’s sole Asian stop featured a strong lineup, including 13 players who had competed in the recent Presidents Cup.

Bridgeman, who made his debut at Medinah and clinched the U.S. victory with a key putt against Min Woo Lee, continued his strong play with a bogey-free 63, including eight birdies—only one of which came from beyond 10 feet.

His smooth transition back to competition came after a brief break, including travel for a family wedding and a long flight to Las Vegas before the event. Meanwhile, Jordan Smith, who earned his PGA Tour card after years on the European Tour, shot a bogey-free 64 to finish just behind Bridgeman.

Smith, adapting to his first full PGA Tour schedule, expressed satisfaction with his progress, highlighting the challenges of transitioning from the DP World Tour to the PGA Tour’s new faces and courses. Other notable performances included Max Homa, Hideki Matsuyama, Ryo Hisatsune, and Collin Morikawa, all within striking distance of the lead.

Jordan Spieth, returning from a missed FedEx Cup playoff cutoff, struggled with a 72, while players like Billy Horschel and Tony Finau opened with 71s as they aim to secure their 2027 cards through strong finishes in the FedEx Cup standings.

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