Jacob Bridgeman, a 25-year-old from South Carolina, is leading the Valspar Championship after a solid round at Innisbrook Resort, finishing the day at 6-under par through 36 holes. Bridgeman, who is in just his second full season on tour, faced an up-and-down front nine with two birdies and two bogeys but rallied to stay atop the leaderboard. He is riding a wave of confidence after securing a second-place finish at the Cognizant Classic earlier this month, marking his first top-10 finish in his career.
The young golfer acknowledged that his increased comfort level this year, along with the experience of traveling and getting to know the courses better, has contributed to his improved performance. “Finishing second was just a confidence builder for me,” Bridgeman said. “I haven’t done anything like that yet in my career, and doing that was kind of nice to get that one out of the way.”
However, Bridgeman faces stiff competition, with a crowded leaderboard just behind him. Three players are one shot back at 5-under: Viktor Hovland from Norway, Ryo Hisatsune from Japan, and Byeong-hun An from South Korea. Hisatsune surged up the ranks with an impressive 66, which included five birdies on the back nine.
Also in contention are major champions Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele, who are two shots off the lead at 4-under. Schauffele is returning from an eight-week injury hiatus and is gradually regaining his form after an outstanding 2024 season that saw him win both the PGA Championship and the British Open. Although he struggled at The Players Championship, finishing last, Schauffele expressed optimism about his game heading into the weekend. “The goal was just to be in touch going into the weekend, to get some of those feelings again,” he said. “As soon as I feel a little bit of pressure in my game, the swing’s a little bit kind of dodgy at times. So it’s all part of coming back and trying to play at a high level.”
Five players, including England’s Harry Hall and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, are three shots behind the leader at 3-under, keeping the competition wide open heading into the final rounds.