Jacob Bridgeman set the pace early in the Baycurrent Classic with a flawless eight-under 63, maintaining his momentum from a recent surge in form. The 26-year-old, who also carded a bogey-free round at Yokohama Country Club, sits one shot clear after England’s Jordan Smith responded with a seven-under 64.
Smith, 33, delivered a professional performance marked by four front-nine birdies and three on the back nine. Since securing his PGA Tour card for the 2026 season based on his 2025 DP World Tour results, he has recorded eight top-25 finishes and made 17 of 23 cuts, including a third-place showing at the Valspar Championship.
“I’m very happy. I wouldn’t say I had my best stuff out there today but there was a lot of good short game shots, a lot of good putting,” Smith said. “Everything’s very new… but I’ve enjoyed it a lot, it’s been good fun.”
Bridgeman is now pursuing his second consecutive victory, having won the Biltmore Championship Asheville just last month. His winning streak continued into the Presidents Cup, where he defeated Min Woo Lee in the final singles match to help Team USA overcome a deficit and secure a 17-13 triumph over the international side at Medinah.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele, who closed out the Presidents Cup with a win over Open champion Ryan Fox, started the Baycurrent Classic with a one-under 70. The two-time major winner included four birdies but also three bogeys, leaving him outside the top 30.
Several American players share third place on six under par, including Max Homa, Pierceson Coody, Mac Meissner, and Ricky Castillo. 2024 champion Nico Echavarria remains in contention on four under, sitting just outside the top 10.
The tournament, previously known as the Zozo Championship, has been hosted in Japan annually since its inception in 2019, with the exception of 2020 when it moved to California due to the pandemic. Round two coverage will air live on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event on Friday morning.
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