Jacob Bridgeman on His Caddie Who Made a Major Sacrifice by Taking a Pay Cut

Feb 23, 2026, 5:37 AM CUT

Before his first PGA Tour win, Jacob Bridgeman’s journey was shaped by a decision off the course, a caddie who left a steady Tour bag and accepted a pay cut to work with him.

Jacob Bridgeman secured his first PGA Tour title at the 2026 Genesis Invitational, with the same caddie by his side who first joined him during his 2022 Korn Ferry Tour season.

The partnership began when Bridgeman turned professional in 2022 and started looking for a caddie. He asked his agent for a recommendation and was given the name G.W. Cable.

Around the same time, he spoke with his college coach about what he wanted in a caddie. His coach independently suggested the same person.

The two recommendations came separately, without coordination, which led Bridgeman to think: “So both of them recommended him [Cable] at the same time, kind of without talking to each other. Felt that couldn’t have been a coincidence.”

At the time, Cable had extensive PGA Tour experience and the option to remain at that level. Instead, he chose to work with Bridgeman on the Korn Ferry Tour, accepting a pay cut and a level of uncertainty.

The move meant stepping away from established Tour opportunities to support a young professional at the start of his career.

Cable then made the choice to leave a Tour opportunity and join Bridgeman on the Korn Ferry Tour. Reflecting on that, Bridgeman added, “He was gracious enough to come down and take a pay cut, work on the Korn Ferry for me and take kind of a gamble because he could have got a bag on Tour, I’m sure, no problem.”

They spent one season on the Korn Ferry Tour before Bridgeman earned his PGA Tour card. Cable has remained on his bag since, including during Bridgeman’s recent win at the 2026 Genesis Invitational.

Jacob Bridgeman at the 2026 Genesis Invitational

Jacob Bridgeman claimed the Genesis Invitational for his first PGA Tour win, posting 18-under (266). In doing so, he finished one shot ahead of Rory McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama at Riviera Country Club.

Heading into Sunday, Bridgeman started with a six-shot advantage. However, the final round tightened as he recorded a 1-over 72, and both McIlroy and Kitayama gained ground on the back nine.

Even so, he stayed ahead and converted a 3-foot par putt on the 18th hole to close out the tournament.

Meanwhile, the statistics supported his position on the leaderboard. He ranked first in Strokes Gained: Total (12.554), Strokes Gained: Putting (7.438), and Strokes Gained: Approach (5.704), which underscored his overall performance across four rounds.

As a result, the victory delivered $4 million, 700 FedExCup points, and a 2026 Genesis GV80 Coupe.

The 26-year-old also became the first player since Adam Scott in 2005 to win at Riviera in his first appearance. Consequently, he moved from No. 52 into the top 25 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

What do you think of Bridgeman's decision? Tell us in the comments!

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu