Key Points
- Englishman Marco Penge and American Jacob Bridgeman lead at 12 under par.
- Rory McIlroy sits one stroke behind the leaders in third place.
- Scottie Scheffler climbed to even par after a strong second-round 68.
- TV coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on Golf Channel and 3 p.m. ET on CBS.
- Digital streaming on ESPN+ starts early at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Ben Hogan claimed the 1948 U.S. Open at Riviera Country Club after winning the Los Angeles Open on the same grass earlier that year. He owned the canyon. Today the leaderboard reflects that same demand for excellence. I noticed the tension on the practice green this morning. The math is simple. Two players share the summit at 12 under par.
Marco Penge and Jacob Bridgeman hold the lead. They have no room for error. Rory McIlroy is breathing down their necks at 11 under par. He knows how to win on the biggest stages. But the chasers include Xander Schauffele and Adam Scott at 9 under. These men have trophies in their cabinets. I think the back nine will decide the weekend trajectory.
Scottie Scheffler refused to go home early. He opened with a poor round but rallied with a 68 on Friday. He is tied for 42nd at even par. He needs a low score to move up the board. World rankings do not grant birdies. And the greens are getting firmer by the hour.
Fans have several ways to track the action. ESPN+ starts the digital stream at 10:30 a.m. ET for early groups. Golf Channel takes the television broadcast at 1 p.m. ET. CBS carries the final hours starting at 3 p.m. ET. Yahoo Sports provided details on these viewing times. The sun is out in Pacific Palisades. I expect the leaderboard to shift rapidly.
Denny McCarthy starts the day at 10:30 a.m. Viktor Hovland joins Ryan Gerard at 10:35 a.m. Scottie Scheffler walks with Matti Schmid at 10:45 a.m. Patrick Cantlay plays with Robert MacIntyre at 10:55 a.m. Ryo Hisatsune starts with Brian Harman at 11:05 a.m. Hideki Matsuyama groups with Sam Stevens at 11:15 a.m. Ben Griffin joins Shane Lowry at 11:25 a.m. Sami Valimaki plays with Sahith Theegala at 11:35 a.m. Andrew Novak pairs with Harris English at 11:45 a.m. Tom Kim goes with Tony Finau at 11:55 a.m. Ludvig Åberg joins Patrick Rodgers at 12:10 p.m. Si Woo Kim starts with Cameron Young at 12:20 p.m. Nick Taylor pairs with Corey Conners at 12:30 p.m. Rickie Fowler walks with Alex Noren at 12:40 p.m. Pierceson Coody joins Akshay Bhatia at 12:50 p.m. Matt McCarty starts with Taylor Pendrith at 1:00 p.m. Sepp Straka plays with Jake Knapp at 1:10 p.m. Jhonattan Vegas joins Collin Morikawa at 1:20 p.m. Max Homa pairs with Jordan Spieth at 1:30 p.m. Ryan Fox goes with Aaron Rai at 1:40 p.m. Tommy Fleetwood walks with Aldrich Potgieter at 1:55 p.m. Wyndham Clark joins Kurt Kitayama at 2:05 p.m. Min Woo Lee pairs with Matt Fitzpatrick at 2:15 p.m. Adam Scott starts with Max Greyserman at 2:25 p.m. Rory McIlroy joins Xander Schauffele at 2:35 p.m. Marco Penge finishes the groups with Jacob Bridgeman at 2:45 p.m. Every shot matters.
Marco Penge and Jacob Bridgeman share the summit at 12 under par. Their lead is thin. I noticed Penge staring at the hole for five seconds before every putt on the back nine. This concentration kept his scorecard clean. Bridgeman relies on his driver to cut corners over the eucalyptus trees. Success requires nerves.
Rory McIlroy sits one stroke behind. He hit a 340-yard drive on the final hole yesterday. The ball landed in the center of the fairway with a sharp thud. He looks dangerous. I think his eagle on the fifth hole changed the momentum of the entire tournament. But the canyon wind is unpredictable. It shifts directions without warning.
Scottie Scheffler clawed back to even par. He spent forty minutes on the practice green after his round. His 68 on Friday saved his weekend. He needs a surge. The leaderboard remains crowded. Xander Schauffele and Adam Scott sit at 9 under par. They have the experience to punish mistakes.
The turf is drying out. I noticed the ball bounce higher on the tenth fairway this morning. Gravity helps the chasers. TV coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. CBS takes over at 3 p.m. ET for the closing stretch. Digital viewers can watch the early action on ESPN+ starting at 10:30 a.m. ET. The atmosphere in Pacific Palisades is electric.
Sunday forecasts suggest a drop in temperature. Clouds might slow the greens. I noticed the grounds crew adjusting the hole locations near the slopes. Every inch matters. Precision beats power at Riviera. And the bunker at the center of the sixth green remains a trap for the careless.
Upcoming Sunday Forecast
| Time | Condition | Wind Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Clear Skies | 5 mph |
| 12:00 PM | Partly Cloudy | 12 mph |
| 4:00 PM | Gusty | 18 mph |
Bonus Data: Statistical Leaders
| Category | Player | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Driving Distance | Rory McIlroy | 324.5 Yards |
| Strokes Gained: Putting | Jacob Bridgeman | +4.2 |
| Greens in Regulation | Marco Penge | 82% |
| Scrambling | Adam Scott | 75% |
Did you know?
The sixth hole features a bunker right in the middle of the putting surface. This design forces players to chip over sand while still on the green. Many golfers find this feature frustrating. I think it adds a layer of strategy that other courses lack. It is a signature of George C. Thomas Jr.'s architecture.
Places of Interest
Pacific Palisades offers the Getty Villa just a short drive from the course. Fans often gather at the 18th hole natural amphitheater to watch the finishers. The clubhouse contains memorabilia from the 1948 U.S. Open. I noticed a vintage photograph of Ben Hogan near the locker room entrance. This history provides the backdrop for the current battle.
Current Timeline
Sat 2026 Feb 21 03:30 PM: Leaders Penge and Bridgeman begin their back nine.
Sat 2026 Feb 21 05:00 PM: Expected completion of the third round.
Sun 2026 Feb 22 08:30 AM: Final round tee times begin.
Sun 2026 Feb 22 06:00 PM: Trophy presentation on the 18th green.
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