Penge and Bridgeman Lead Through 36 Holes as Major Champions Chase 

Friday at The Riviera Country Club featured action from both the completion of the first round and the second round of The Genesis Invitational, and players took advantage of favorable conditions. Four players shot seven-under or better in the second round, highlighted by Marco Penge and Jacob Bridgeman, who each posted 64 to share the lead heading into the weekend. 

Penge began the morning by finishing his first round before making a quick turnaround into his second. The more-than-18-hole day didn’t seem to bother the world’s No. 33-ranked player, as he carded a bogey-free round at Riviera. The 27-year-old from England is making his tournament debut in just his 11th start on the PGA TOUR. He earned a spot in the field as the top-ranked Race to Dubai player not otherwise exempt. His exceptional play comes on the heels of a strong 2025 season in which he recorded three international victories. 

For a player making his Genesis Invitational debut, Penge has quickly proven he belongs. For the five-time international winner, the experience this week at The Riviera Country Club has already been one to remember, even if only through 36 holes. 

“Going for lunch on Tuesday and standing in the queue behind Tiger Woods is pretty cool,” Penge said of his week so far. “Just being in the presence of players that I have so much respect for, players that I’ve watched growing up, players I idolize. I sometimes think this can’t be real — me being in the same locker room and having lunch with these greats.” 

Like Penge, Bridgeman is finding early success in his tournament debut and proved Friday that it’s both how you start and how you finish. For the second consecutive day, he eagled the first hole. Over the first two rounds, he has played Riviera’s closing three holes in five-under par, including three birdies Friday. 

While this may be Bridgeman’s first appearance in The Genesis Invitational, it’s not his first time this season sitting atop a leaderboard. 

“I’m excited,” Bridgeman said of the weekend. “I’m kind of in a similar spot as I was the last couple weeks. I’m excited to be back in the hunt trying to get a win.” 

The two tournament rookies will look to hold off a group of experienced, proven champions over the weekend. Major championship winners Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Adam Scott sit at 11-under, nine-under and nine-under, respectively. Each has enjoyed success at The Riviera Country Club – McIlroy and Schauffele have reorded top-five finishes, while Scott is a two-time tournament champion. 

Scott was the biggest mover of the day, firing a second-round-best 63. He carded two eagles, five birdies and one bogey Friday. 

“It’s probably my best round out here,” Scott said after the round. “I know there were a lot of good scores today. I remember one — I think it was the year I won recently — that I shot 7-under in the morning. It was a drier week, maybe more challenging, but there’s always a challenge. Just getting the ball to the hole is hard when the greens are soft here, so this is great.” 

The third round of the 2026 Genesis Invitational begins Saturday at 7:30 a.m., with gates opening at 7 a.m. A limited number of tickets remain for the weekend.