Damien Kayat previews the 2023 edition of the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational taking place at the Riviera Country Club in California.
2022/2023 US PGA Tour
Genesis Invitational
Rivera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California
16th-19th February
Scottie Scheffler threw down a real marker of intent last week, reclaiming the World No.1 spot with a magisterial defence of his Phoenix Open title.
I’m really happy to have the Phoenix Open done and dusted. Am I the only one who finds the frat-boy atmosphere of the tournament mildly nauseating?
Sure, it’s great that golf had evolved beyond the province of debonair aristocrats. But that celebration of ‘bro-dom’ may be a slight overcorrection.
So, we should expect slightly more decorum at the last leg of this year’s West Coast Swing: the Genesis Invitational. Or should we? Because this week sees the return of a certain Tiger Woods.
The 15-time Major Champion is still the biggest draw in golf and I will be fascinated to see his impact on the field this week.
The winning moment for Scottie Scheffler @WMPhoenixOpen 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Tjv3tKJt02
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 12, 2023
Genesis Invitational
Originally known as the Los Angeles Open, this event was first staged way back in 1926. The event never fails to attract a stellar field, with universal respect for the iconic host course Riviera.
Riviera has hosted this event on a near continuous basis since 1973. The returning Tiger Woods actually made his full PGA Tour debut here as a 16-year-old amateur.
In fact, this is the tournament that Woods has played the most times without winning. I think it is a bit far-fetched to expect the behemoth to challenge this week.
This is a truly classical test of golf that requires players to use practically every weapon in their arsenal.
Riviera Country Club
Designed by George C. Thomas Jr, Riviera is an iconic layout that has hosted two PGA Championships and one US Open. This 7322-yard par 71 is something of a throwback in this age of target golf.
It is a tough, tree-lined test that is regularly ranked as one of the most demanding courses on the entire tour. You can’t just bend Riviera to your will with power.
The tight Kikuyu fairways and penal rough require surgical precision. But the real challenge comes in finding these tricky Poa Annua greens.
Players will often need to be in the right place in the fairways to attack specific pin placements. Furthermore, steep runoff areas will penalise wayward irons.
The field will need to scramble brilliantly to succeed. It is actually very reminiscent of the challenges posed by Augusta. In fact, 12 different Masters Champions have won 22 of the 59 renewals of this event at Riviera.
The tight Kikuyu fairways and Poa Annua greens also correlate well with Torrey Pines. It always pays to look at form in the Farmers Insurance Open prior to this event.
The Contenders
This should be another enthralling week, with McIlroy, Scheffler and Rahm once again battling it out for the World No.1 ranking (long may this continue).
Combine that with the Tiger narrative and you have a recipe for a classic. McIlroy will be desperate to rediscover his groove after a pretty poor showing in Phoenix.
Rahm has faded in contention over the last two Sundays and will be desperate to rectify that. The smooth-swinging Scheffler will be hoping that his TPC Scottsdale success will once again be the springboard for a magnificent season.
Elsewhere, the likes of Xander Schauffle and Justin Thomas lurk ominously in the chasing pack.
Past Winners
2022: Joaquin Niemann (-19)
2021: Max Homa (-12) *playoff
2020: Adam Scott (-11)
2019: J.B Holmes (-14)
2018: Bubba Watson (-12)
To Win Outright:
Jon Rahm 7/1 | Scottie Scheffler 10/1 | Rory McIlroy 8/1 | Justin Thomas 14/1 | Xander Schauffele 16/1
Value Bets
Matthew Fitzpatrick- To Win 33/1 | To Place 13/2
This is a risky play given recent form and slight concerns over his neck injury. But a closing 65 in Phoenix should alleviate some of those doubts. The reigning US Open champ should suit Riviera to a tee. Is he not the quintessential throwback golfer? He shapes the ball beautifully and is accurate from the tee box. And Fitzpatrick has certainly shown potential in his previous visits to Riviera. He finished 30th on debut before a fifth-place finish in 2021 (he was actually second going into the final round in 2021). This course was made for Fitzpatrick.
Adam Scott- To Win 40/1 | To Place 9/1
This is a classic ‘horses for courses’ pick. The elegant, smooth Scott is just an obvious match for this golf course. He won a weather-affected, 36-hole version of this event in 2005. He then won the event for a second time in 2020. He owns seven top 10’s in 14 starts here. That includes four top-two finishes. While I’m not sure I see him winning, he could be someone to play in the place market.
The Man to Beat- Max Homa- To Win 18/1 | To Place 7/2
I’m opting to swerve that three-way vying for the World No.1 ranking. Max Homa just looks like incredible value at 28/1. He has been one of the most prolific winners on tour in recent years, tasting victory five times since February 2021. The American won here in 2021 and is fresh off a victory at the Farmers Insurance Open (highlighting that link between Riviera and Torrey Pines). Homa has also shown a proclivity for doubling up at events: he has won the Fortinet and Wells Fargo twice. So, could this be the chance for him to make it another double at Riviera?
