Follow us on Google Discover Jacob Bridgeman was one of several rookies for Team USA at the Presidents Cup.
With so many players breaking through the American ranks, like Cameron Young and Chris Gotterup, captain Brandt Snedeker had to manage an entirely new-look team. This was therefore a critical moment for a team criticised for lacking camaraderie over the past two decades, especially compared with the European team at the Ryder Cup.
They almost got off to a disastrous start, salvaging a victory against the International Team despite falling behind through the team events over the first two days. A rookie helped save their blushes, with Jackson Koivun beating Si Woo Kim on Sunday to complete the comeback.
Team USA suffered many of the same issues at Medinah as in recent years, and one of their rookies, Bridgeman, recently revealed how team members treated him in his first Presidents Cup.
Jacob Bridgeman says how he was treated at the Presidents Cup
Bridgeman played all of his Presidents Cup matches alongside Russell Henley, going 0-2 in the team events before beating Min Woo Lee on Sunday. Henley is someone he already knew, so he was comfortable on the course with the six-time PGA Tour winner.
But beyond the people he already knew, Bridgeman praised the locker room camaraderie at Medinah this year. Speaking to media at this week’s Baycurrent Classic, he said, “I felt like I was friends with a lot of guys before, but just that week you spend pretty much every minute together other than sleeping, able to develop some relationships even further.
“Yeah, I was really close with Chris and Russ and Sam and Scottie before, but I feel like everyone now. I had some really good conversations with J.T., Wyndham, Collin, Cam. It was just a really cool week going out in the practice rounds.
“And we had some different groups and were able to kind of compare what we do differently, how we approach different holes. I think one of the neatest things was before the rounds, we would go over the yardage book in the locker room.
“Guys would just kind of come over and chime in and add some thoughts, what they thought and how to approach the holes. It was pretty cool.”
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Bridgeman is back in action this week in Japan, and is leading the Baycurrent Classic. He’s hoping for his third career PGA Tour win after already winning the Genesis Invitational and the Biltmore Championship this season.
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He said he’s taken some confidence after being picked for the Presidents Cup, and that’s why he’s in position to win his second event of the Fall Series.
He said, “I think anytime you hear that people believe in you and you’ve got some pretty — captains with a pretty good golf legacy that have done some amazing things in the sport that they tell you ‘I believe in you, I want you on this team,’ that’s a huge boost.
Really makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something pretty significant this year. Yeah, it was just great to hear.”
It’s been an incredibly impressive season from the 26-year-old, and if this form continues, he’ll be a part of Team USA for many years to come.
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