Rory McIlroy lamented his failure to trust his "first instinct" after Jacob Bridgeman held him off to win the Genesis Invitational by one shot.

Despite an inspired final round from McIlroy, who carded a four-under 67, Bridgeman became the first man to win the event in his tournament debut since 1975 after his one-over 72 helped him to 18-under for the tournament.

The American had held a seven-shot lead early on Sunday and sunk a three-foot putt on the final hole to claim his first PGA Tour title.

Three bodies on the final day from Bridgeman gave the chasing pack hope, though, with McIlroy finished tied for second on 17-under with Jurt Kitayama, who carded a seven-under 64.

The Northern Irishman, meanwhile, was even par after the first nine holes, but made four birdies on the back nine to put the pressure on Bridgeman, who held his nerve to claim the victory.

"I'll rue basically all 18 holes yesterday and then the front nine [on Sunday], like 27 holes where I failed to capitalise on the chances I gave myself," McIlroy told the PGA website.

"Once I started to trust my reads a bit on the back nine, and I went more with my first instinct, I putted a little bit better.

"I was almost just giving them too much thought and not going with my first instinct, and that sort of cost me."

Lights. Camera. Bridgeman.

A star is born as Jacob Bridgeman steals the spotlight @TheGenesisInv! pic.twitter.com/rYOtBQGlzi

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 22, 2026

Bridgeman, though, said he had to overcome some late nerves to clinch his victory.

"I thought it was going to be a lot easier than that," Bridgeman said. "It was honestly easy until I got to about 16, and then it got really hard.

"I can't believe it. I made it about as hard as I could have made it, I think, at the end – making it one shot and having to make a three-footer, but this is incredible.

"I couldn't even feel my hands on the last couple greens. I just hit the putt hoping it would get somewhere near the hole, and both of them I left a mile short. I'm glad it's done now."

Adam Scott claimed the lowest round of the day with a 63 to claim fourth on 16-under, with Aldrich Potgieter a shot further back in fifth.

Xander Schauffele finished tied for seventh on 12-under, alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa.

World number one Scottie Scheffler made a stunning finish, with his six-under 65, seeing him recover from a bad start on Thursday to finish in joint 12th.

That result brought an end to his excellent run of 18 consecutive top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour.