Horses for Courses: The Genesis Invitational
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All-time shots from The Genesis Invitational
Super Bowl celebrations are still ongoing and the bright spotlight remains on Los Angeles this week as the top 11 and 16 of the top 20 top golfers in the world tee it up at The Riviera Country Club.
The 96th Los Angeles Open, now presented as The Genesis Invitational hosted by Tiger Woods and his TGR Foundation, is a magnet for top players annually. The last four editions have all ranked in the top 17 most difficult on TOUR. Only the 2021 event (17th) ranked outside the top 10 in the last four events. The event has been played at The Riviera Country Club continuously since 1999.
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The Riv, as the locals call it, plays to a Par-71 and extends to 7,322 yards. All 14 clubs will be in use this week and so will all nine shot shapes. Kikuyugrass off the fairways and greens will snatch errant tee shots (no water) while Poa annua greens demand concentration from all putts regardless of length.
Max Homa returns to defend his title and leads the field of 121 players. As an elevated Invitational event, the prize pool is $12 million with the winner taking home $2.16 million plus 550 FedExCup points.
Let's find some horses for courses!
Horses for Courses
| Recent Winners entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25 | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| 2021: Max Homa (3/5) | 2 | 2 | +4000; +400; +160 |
| 2020: Adam Scott (12/13) | 6 | 9 | +4000; +333; +140 |
| 2018: Bubba Watson (8/15) | 3 | 8 | +4000; +350; +150 |
| 2017: Dustin Johnson (12/14) | 10 | 11 | +1600; +160; -135 |
| 2016: Bubba Watson (8/15) | 3 | 8 | +4000; +350; +150 |
| 2015: James Hahn (7/8) | 1 | 4 | +20000; +1600; +650 |
| Eye Catchers entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25 | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Tony Finau (5/7) | 2 | 3 | +5000; +450; +180 |
| Francesco Molinari (3/7) | 1 | 1 | +12500; +1000; +400 |
| Matt Kuchar (13/15) | 2 | 6 | +15000; +1100; +450 |
| Hideki Matsuyama (5/7) | 3 | 5 | +2200; +200; -110 |
| Chez Reavie (4/11) | 2 | 2 | +25000; +1600; +650 |
| Justin Thomas (5/7) | 2 | 2 | +1600; +150; -160 |
| Marc Leishman (8/12) | 2 | 4 | +5000; +400; +180 |
| Kevin Na (11/18) | 4 | 5 | +6600; +550; +225 |
| Adam Hadwin (7/7) | 1 | 3 | +10000; +800; +350 |
| Jordan Spieth (7/9) | 2 | 5 | +4000; +350; +150 |
| Martin Laird (7/12) | 2 | 4 | +15000; +1100; +450 |
| Charley Hoffman (11/15) | 1 | 2 | +20000; +1400;+550 |
| Cameron Tringale (9/10) | 1 | 5 | +8000; +600; +250 |
| Jason Kokrak (8/10) | 1 | 3 | +6600; +500; +225 |
| Paul Casey (8/9) | 1 | 4 | +6600; +500; +225 |
| Sergio Garcia (11/14) | 3 | 7 | +5000; +450; +200 |
| Gaining Traction entered this week (cuts made/events entered) | Top 10s | Top 25 | 2022 BET MGM ODDS Win, Top 10, Top 20 |
| Sam Burns (2/3) | 1 | 2 | +4000; +333; +140 |
| Cameron Smith (4/6) | 2 | 2 | +2000; +180; -125 |
| Viktor Hovland (1/1) | 1 | 1 | +2500; +240; +105 |
| Jon Rahm (3/3) | 2 | 3 | +900; -125; -250 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick (2/2) | 1 | 1 | +3300; +333; +140 |
| Wyndham Clark (2/2) | 1 | 2 | +20000; +1600; +600 |
| Matt Jones (4/6) | 1 | 2 | +15000; +1200; +500 |
| Rory McIlroy (4/5) | 2 | 4 | +2000; +190; -125 |
| Joel Dahmen (1/4) | 1 | 1 | +15000; +1100; +400 |
| Talor Gooch (3/3) | 1 | 3 | +5000; +450; +190 |
| Si Woo Kim (2/6) | 1 | 1 | +8000; +650; +275 |
| Carlos Ortiz (4/5) | 1 | 2 | +15000; +1100; +400 |
| Patrick Cantlay (4/6) | 1 | 4 | +1100; +100; -200 |
| Scott Stallings (3/6) | 1 | 1 | +20000; +1400; +600 |
| Xander Schauffele (4/4) | 1 | 4 | +2000; +180; -110 |
| Thomas Pieters (2/2) | 1 | 1 | +6600; +550; +240 |
Odds sourced on Tuesday, February 15 at 1 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm.
Recent Event Winner Stats
| Year | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Winner | Max Homa | Adam Scott | J.B. Holmes |
| Score | -12 | -11 | -14 |
| MOV | Playoff (Finau) | 2 (Kang, Brown, Kuchar) | 1 (Justin Thomas) |
| Cut | Even 142 | 1-over, 143 | E, 142 |
| Age | 31 | 39 | 36 |
| Pre-Tournament Odds | +5000 | +3000 | +10000 |
| All Drives | T26 | 8 | 9 |
| Accuracy | T3 | T63 | T59 |
| GIR | T5 | 1 | T2 |
| Ball-Striking | 19 | T32 | |
| Proximity | T34 | T18 | T30 |
| Putting: Birdie or Better % | 7 | T10 | 22 |
| SG: Off-the-Tee | 2 | 17 | T37 |
| SG: Approach-the-Green | 21 | 3 | 6 |
| SG: Around-the-Green | 9 | 17 | 33 |
| SG: Putting | 7 | 27 | 1 |
| SG: Tee-to-Green | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| Scrambling | T24 | 46 | 17 |
| Bogey Avoidance | T5 | T7 | 6 |
| Par-3 Scoring | T16 | T8 | 1 |
| Par-4 Scoring | T5 | 3 | T1 |
| Par-5 Scoring | T1 | T37 | T65 |
Extra Credit (players entered this week only)
2021
Winner Max Homa posted a bogey-free 66 Sunday to force and then win a playoff. ... Tony Finau (P2) led the field in SG: TTG and Par-Breakers (22) and was also T2 in 2018. ... Sam Burns (3rd) tied the 36 hole record and led by two after 54 holes. ... Cameron Smith (4th) co-led the field with Finau with 20 birdies and needed just 104 putts. ... Matt Fitzpatrick (T5) opened with 66 and played in the penultimate group Sunday. ... Viktor Hovland (T5) led the field in SG: Off-the-Tee and Proximity in his first visit. ... Jon Rahm (T5) led the field in GIR and Ball-Striking. ... Wyndham Clark (T8) signed for T17 on debut in 2020 so he must like it here. ... Dustin Johnson (T8) cashes in the top 10 for the seventh time in eight tries and 10th overall. ... Matt Jones (T8) only needed 99 putts (!?!?!). ... Riviera member Francesco Molinari (T8) took only 100 putts. ... Defending champion Adam Scott (T38) closed with 66 and is still No. 1 on the all-time money list here.
2020
Winner Adam Scott picked up the trophy in the first year of Invitational status, his 14th on TOUR, as he played the final 54 holes 12-under. ... Matt Kuchar (T2) led or shared the lead after 54 holes as he picked up his second top 10 in five years. ... Joel Dahmen (T5) hasn't broken par or made the cut in his other three visits. ... Max Homa (T5) posted 65 in Round 3 and was T3 GIR. ... Hideki Matsuyama (T5) made the cut on the number and posted 64-69 on the weekend. ... Rory McIlroy (T5) shared the 54 hole lead with Kuchar and Scott but closed with 73 including a triple. MC 2021. ... Talor Gooch (T10) T6 Fairways, T5 GIR and was T12 in 2021. ... Dustin Johnson (T10) led the field in Putting. ... Chez Reavie (T10) MC before and MC after. ... Defending champion JB Holmes (T51) opened 69-69 but didn't factor on the weekend. ... Scott's victory here in 2005 is NOT official as the event was called after 36 holes. ...
2019
Winner JB Holmes (not entered this week) made up a four shot deficit on Sunday and won the last full field (144 players) event. ... Justin Thomas (2nd) led after 36 holes and by four after 54 holes. ... Si Woo Kim (3rd) closed 66-68 as he only took 102 putts (1st). ... Marc Leishman (T4) one of two players to post all four rounds in the 60s. ... Rory McIlroy (T4) posted 63 in Round 2, co-low round of the week (Holmes, Round 1) and led the field in GIR. ... Adam Scott (T7) was also 13-under like Holmes after 54 holes but closed with 76. ... Dustin Johnson (T9) is an ATM here. ... Hideki Matsuyama (T9), another with Masters connections, broke his top 10 streak with MC last year. ... Carlos Ortiz (T9) continues his streak of T26 or better from four weekends. ... Jon Rahm (T9) backed up his debut top 10 with T17 in 2020. ... Three time champion Bubba Watson (T15) couldn't join the repeat club or four time winner's club.
Notes
• Last repeat champion is Phil Mickelson (not entered) 2008-09.
• Only Macdonald Smith and Lloyd Mangrum (4) have more wins here than Bubba Watson (3).
• The last wire to wire winner was Charlie Sifford in 1969.
• Multiple time winners at Riviera for The Genesis Invitational who are also MASTERS champions: Sam Snead, Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Mike Weir, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson. (Adam Scott 2005 Genesis Invitational win UNOFFICIAL)
• Last European winner here was Nick Faldo in 1997.
• Last two international winners have been Australians (Scott and Aaron Baddeley 2011).
• The last NINE winners have been over 30 years old.
• James Hahn is the only first time TOUR winner since 2014.
• The last player to win on debut at the event was Scott in 2005.
• Thomas Pieters won individual NCAA championship here and was T2 in 2017.
• Paul Casey has played the weekend in his last eight visits.
• Cameron Tringale has cashed 9 of 10.
• Jordan Spieth has cashed five straight. And shot 81 in Round 4 in 2019. Member of Longhorns National Championship team at Riviera.
• Canadian Adam Hadwin T26-T26 his last two.
• Kevin Na best two are T2 2018 and T4 2017.
• James Hahn's last three are T15, T13 and T14.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week
Winners have:
• Seven of the last seven are T11 or better SG: Tee-to-Green.
• Last seven T9 or better Bogey Avoidance.
• Last six T7 or better GIR.
• Bill Haas is the last winner in his 20s (2012).
| Strokes Gained: Approach the Green | |
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Collin Morikawa |
| 2 | Paul Casey |
| 3 | Justin Thomas |
| 4 | Keegan Bradley |
| 6 | Russell Henley |
| 7 | Will Zalatoris |
| 8 | Jon Rahm |
| T9 | Corey Conners |
| 12 | Emiliano Grillo |
| 14 | Xander Schauffele |
| 15 | Viktor Hovland |
| 16 | Charley Hoffman |
| 17 | Hideki Matsuyama |
| 20 | Russell Knox |
| Strokes-Gained: Tee-to-Green | |
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Jon Rahm |
| 2 | Collin Morikawa |
| T3 | Justin Thomas |
| T3 | Patrick Cantlay |
| 6 | Keegan Bradley |
| 7 | Paul Casey |
| 8 | Viktor Hovland |
| 9 | Will Zalatoris |
| 10 | Rory McIlroy |
| 11 | Brooks Koepka |
| 12 | Corey Conners |
| 13 | Sergio Garcia |
| 15 | Hideki Matsuyama |
| 16 | Tony Finau |
| 17 | Xander Schauffele |
| 20 | Russell Henley |
| Bogey Avoidance | |
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Jon Rahm |
| 2 | Patrick Cantlay |
| 5 | Abraham Ancer |
| 6 | Russell Henley |
| 7 | Seamus Power |
| 8 | Cameron Tringale |
| 12 | Hank Lebioda |
| 13 | Sungjae Im |
| 14 | Justin Thomas |
| 16 | Russell Knox |
| 17 | Collin Morikawa |
| 20 | Cameron Smith |
| 21 | Emiliano Grillo |
| 23 | Doug Ghim |
| 24 | Will Zalatoris |
| 24 | Kevin Na |
| 24 | Paul Casey |