The PGA Tour’s return to Asheville produced a fitting champion—and one memorable Sunday performance. Jacob Bridgeman stormed from five shots behind to capture the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville, firing a career-best, bogey-free 10-under-par 61 at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. His 26-under total of 258 gave him a two-stroke victory over Ben James and his second PGA Tour title of the season.
ARDEN, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 20: Jacob Bridgeman of the United States shakes hands with Ricky Castillo of the United States on the 18th hole green after finishing the final round of the Biltmore Championship Asheville 2026 at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove on September 20, 2026 in Arden, North Carolina. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Bridgeman wasted little time making his move. The 26-year-old birdied three of his first four holes, quickly erasing much of the deficit he faced entering the final round. An eagle at the par-5 eighth added momentum, and another birdie at the 10th kept him firmly in the hunt. Then came the decisive stretch: three consecutive birdies beginning at No. 13, followed later by a birdie at the par-5 17th.
By the time Bridgeman walked off the final green, he had completed rounds of 66, 67, 64 and 61, a remarkably consistent four days capped by his finest round of the week. James matched Bridgeman’s 61 on Sunday but finished two strokes back at 24 under, while Ricky Castillo and 54-hole leader Neal Shipley tied for third at 23 under.
ARDEN, NORTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 20: Jacob Bridgeman of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the Biltmore Championship Asheville 2026 at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove on September 20, 2026 in Arden, North Carolina. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The victory carried added significance for Bridgeman. A South Carolina native with familiarity with The Cliffs community, he was playing close to home and entered the week preparing for his Presidents Cup debut at Medinah. The Asheville triumph followed his breakthrough victory at The Genesis Invitational earlier in 2026, making him one of the season’s multiple winners.
For Asheville, hosting its first PGA Tour event since 1942 marked the beginning of a new chapter. For Bridgeman, it became another milestone in a rapidly rising career.