The Japan Times - Bridgeman powers to six-shot lead over McIlroy at Riviera

Bridgeman, who played the iconic Riviera Country Club course for the first time on Wednesday, made his way around like an old hand, matching the tournament's 54-hole record with a 19-under par total of 194.

McIlroy started the day one stroke behind co-leaders Bridgeman and Marco Penge but endured a tough day on Riviera's greens and finished with just three birdies and a bogey in his two-under 69 for 200.

Bridgeman, a 26-year-old American chasing his first PGA Tour title, was up by three after three birdies in his first four holes.

He picked up four strokes in the space of three holes to pull away for good. After rolling in a 12-foot birdie at the 10th he eagled the par-five 11th -- where he landed his 259-yard approach a foot from the pin. He drilled an 11-foot birdie putt at the 12th.

McIlroy, who completed his career Grand Slam at the Masters last year, admitted to some frustration as he found himself unable to put pressure on Bridgeman.

"The greens got really fast there at the end of the day," McIlroy said. "You're grinding over three-footers and all of a sudden you get one that you think you can have a bit of a run at and if you hit it a little bit too hard ..."

"I found the greens really, really difficult today," added McIlroy, whose difficulties were epitomized at the par-five 17th, where he was on the green in two but ultimately missed a four and a half-foot birdie putt.

McIlroy said he'd aim for a fast start on Sunday.

"I'm hitting the ball well. If I can keep driving it like that, putting the ball in the fairway, just giving myself chances and go from there -- that's all I can really do," said McIlroy, who was one stroke in front of South African Aldrich Potgieter.

The 21-year-old Potgieter, who claimed his lone PGA Tour title to date at the Rocket Classic in Detroit last year, had an eagle and six birdies in his six-under 65 and at 12-under was one clear of England's Aaron Rai, who shot a 66.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, who pushed his streak of PGA Tour cuts made to 68 without a stroke to spare after an erratic two days, climbed the leaderboard with a five-under 66 for five-under 208.

Scheffler, who said this week he has a "weird" relationship with Riviera, made four of his six birdies on the back nine, shaking off his lone bogey with the help of solid putting.

"At times it still felt weird," he said. "The golf course is gettable in the morning, the greens are fresher. So I was able to hole a few putts, which is key."

T.Shimizu--JT