The third signature event of the 2024 PGA Tour season is providing a special flair this week.
Yes, the Genesis Invitational takes place at Riviera Country Club, one of the most revered courses among the players.
Yes, it includes a 36-hole cut — the first signature event this year to include one along with its $20 million purse and elevated FedEx Cup points available.
Oh, and yes, the field includes tournament host and 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, who will tee it up in an official PGA Tour event for the first time since withdrawing from the Masters 10 months ago.
Our golf experts preview the event that begins Thursday, and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win in Southern California this week.
THE GENESIS INVITATIONAL
Location: Pacific Palisades, Calif., Feb. 15-18
Course: The Riviera Country Club (Par 71, 7,322 yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $4M)
Defending Champion: Jon Rahm
FedEx Cup Leader: Matthieu Pavon
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 4-8 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-7 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS).
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. ET; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
X: @TheGenesisInv
PROP PICKS
–Tiger Woods to Miss Cut (-105 at BetMGM): Even when healthy, Woods never won at Riviera — his 15 career winless starts at the Genesis his most at any tour stop by four. He admitted he has “never really gotten hot with the putter at this course,” and it’s difficult to imagine the 48-year-old finding that zone in his first official event in 10 months. The low 50 players and ties after 36 holes will make the weekend.
–Sam Burns to Beat Jordan Spieth (-120 at DraftKings): Burns is a streaky player, but he has found consistently excellent form of late with three consecutive top-10s highlighted by a T3 last week. He finished four spots ahead of Spieth, who tied for sixth and has two top-6 finishes in three starts sandwiching a T39 at Pebble Beach. Both missed the cut at Riviera last year.
–Adam Scott Top Australian (+110 at BetMGM): The 2020 winner said Riviera is “always a highlight of my year.” He did need one of Tiger’s four sponsors invites to get into the field, but Scott has been playing well for several months and enters with six consecutive top-10 finishes worldwide. That includes a T8 last week. Jason Day (+188) is a formidable hurdle as he comes off a T6 at Pebble Beach. Cam Davis (+275) missed the cut here last year and has failed to make the weekend in two of his past four starts to open 2024, but did post a T20 at Pebble Beach.
2024 Prop Picks Record: 8-10
BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (+650 at BetMGM) is coming off a T3 at the WM Phoenix Open. His best finish in five previous starts at Riviera was a T7 in 2022. Scheffler is third in the field with 5.66 percent of the total bets backing him to win at BetMGM, and he leads all players with 22 percent of both the bets and money backing him at DraftKings.
–Rory McIlroy (+1000) makes his second start of the PGA Tour season, following a T66 at Pebble Beach. His best finish in seven previous starts at Riviera was solo fourth in 2019.
–Viktor Hovland (+1400) returns after withdrawing before last week’s event following a T58 at Pebble Beach.
–Justin Thomas (+1600) finished second in 2019 and enters this week with three consecutive T12s or better to begin 2024. He’s BetMGM’s second-biggest liability, drawing 5.75 percent of the total bets and a field-high 15.5 percent of the money after opening at +1800.
–Max Homa (+1800) won the event in 2021 and has four consecutive top-10s in the event. Four of his six PGA Tour victories have come in California.
–Collin Morikawa (+1800) finished T6 last year and the Los Angeles native knows Riviera well.
–Sam Burns (+2200) has three consecutive top-10 finishes, including a T3 last week.
–Sahith Theegala (+2800) has seen his odds shortened from +3300 after being in contention late on Sunday last week. He’s the third-biggest liability at BetMGM, where one bettor placed an $8,000 wager that would pay $224,000.
–Tiger Woods (+12500) is naturally the emotional pick for most, and he’s the biggest liability in the field with 8.0 percent of the total bets backing him to win.
NOTES
–This is one of three player-hosted signature events to include a 36-hole cut along with the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Memorial Tournament.
–Rahm will not defend his title after signing with LIV Golf.
–The field is drawn from the top 50 in last year’s FedEx Cup Playoffs (all but Justin Rose playing), Nos. 51-60 from the FedEx Cup Fall, the Aon Swing 5, the top player not otherwise exempt from the Race to Dubai (Nicolai Hojgaard), this year’s winners who are not already exempt (Nick Dunlap), sponsor exemptions (Woods, Adam Scott, Gary Woodland, Will Zalatoris) and Charlie Sifford Award Winner Chase Johnson.
–Lanny Wadkins holds the tournament scoring record of 264 set in 1985.
–Field Level Media
