Bridgeman holds six-shot lead over McIlroy heading into Genesis Invitational final round

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bridgeman-jacob/xdp19XIg/"]Bridgeman[/a], who played the iconic Riviera Country Club course for the first time on Wednesday, made his way around like an old hand, matching the tournament's 54-hole record with a 19-under par total of 194.[/p][p][b]"It was fun and easy," [/b]Bridgeman said. [b]"Kind of the best that the golf world ever gets."[/b][/p][embed guid="388e670c-3709-4bc5-87d9-30a7392637bf" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZDhv_E8ubI" social-type="youtube" /][p]The 26-year-old American, who is chasing his first PGA Tour title, shared a one-shot overnight lead and was up by three after three birdies in his first four holes.[/p][p]He picked up four strokes in the space of three holes to pull away for good.[/p][p]After rolling in a 12-foot birdie at the 10th he eagled the par-five 11th - where he landed his 259-yard approach a foot from the pin. He drilled an 11-foot birdie putt at the 12th.[/p][p][b]"I had to make an adjustment mid-round,"[/b] he said. [b]"At the beginning, I kind of got off to a nice start, had a bunch of short putts and didn't really have any 15-footers where the speed matters.[/b][/p][p][b]"Then, kind of in the middle of my round, I hit a few (putts) way too hard and told my caddie, I've got to hit those a little softer, they're not taking a break. After that I feel like I hit a lot of good putts."[/b][/p][embed guid="b988d02d-7be7-4cb2-a5b4-cf2e6f6d7c2d" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2025391249985794067" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]McIlroy[/a], meanwhile, could never find the right touch on Riviera's tricky greens, finishing with just three birdies and a bogey in his two-under 69 for 200.[/p][p]The Northern Ireland star, who completed his career Grand Slam at the Masters last year, admitted to some frustration as he found himself unable to put pressure on Bridgeman.[/p][h2]'Really, really difficult'[/h2][p][b]"The greens got really fast there at the end of the day," [/b]McIlroy said. [b]"You're grinding over three-footers and all of a sudden you get one that you think you can have a bit of a run at and if you hit it a little bit too hard.[/b][/p][p][b]"I found the greens really, really difficult today,"[/b] added McIlroy, whose difficulties were epitomized at the par-five 17th, where he was on the green in two but ultimately missed a four-and-a-half-foot birdie putt.[/p][p]McIlroy said he'd aim for a fast start on Sunday.[/p][p][b]"I'm hitting the ball well. If I can keep driving it like that, putting the ball in the fairway, just giving myself chances and go from there - that's all I can really do,"[/b] said McIlroy, who was one stroke in front of South African [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/potgieter-aldrich/YyLIWjwc/"]Aldrich Potgieter[/a].[/p][embed guid="c26c9c57-6e74-4c26-b04d-bffada0b5c2f" url="https://x.com/PGATOUR/status/2025361658986602537" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 21-year-old Potgieter, who claimed his lone PGA Tour title to date at the Rocket Classic in Detroit last year, had an eagle and six birdies in his six-under 65 and at 12-under was one clear of England's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rai-aaron/46TU9vUh/"]Aaron Rai[/a], who shot a 66.[/p][p]World number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scheffler-scottie/bXfIuBYu/"]Scottie Scheffler[/a], who pushed his streak of PGA Tour cuts made to 68 without a stroke to spare after an erratic two days, climbed the leaderboard with a five-under 66 for five-under 208.[/p][p]Scheffler, who said this week he has a "weird" relationship with Riviera, made four of his six birdies on the back nine, shaking off his lone bogey with the help of solid putting.[/p][p][b]"At times it still felt weird,"[/b] he said. [b]"The golf course is gettable in the morning, the greens are fresher. So I was able to hole a few putts, which is key."[/b][/p]