Riviera Country Club makes a welcome return to the PGA Tour schedule, reclaiming its rightful place as the home of the Genesis Invitational after last year’s Los Angeles wildfires forced the event to move to Torrey Pines. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are among the main contenders teeing it up in the 2nd Signature Event of the campaign. Stuttering opening rounds have cost Scottie Scheffler over the last fortnight, but where a lesser player might well have thrown in the towel and turned their attention to the following week, the world number one has scythed through the field to record top-4 finishes at Phoenix and Pebble Beach. If he puts it all together for 4 days at Riviera Country Club, Scheffler could make a mockery of his +300 odds, but as he’s shown recently, even the best come with risks attached in this game.
‘The Riv’, a famous Los Angeles layout that opened its doors a century ago, is one of the few venues where Scheffler is yet to truly contend. This is a classic test of ball-striking that will suit him down to the ground, but once again, it’s worth looking elsewhere for better value. Let’s dive into my golf predictions for this week’s Genesis Invitational.
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Genesis Invitational golf picks and predictions
Genesis Invitational best bet: Patrick Cantlay (+2800)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Collin Morikawa ended a long victory drought at Pebble Beach on Sunday, and this week could be the turn of Patrick Cantlay, who holds Riviera in such high esteem that he described it as his “favorite golf course of the year” in a 2024 interview. A Californian who attended UCLA, Cantlay has form figures of 4-15-17-15-33-3 from the last 6 Riviera editions of the Genesis, and he was 4th when the tournament took place at Torrey Pines last year as well.
The 33-year-old has not won since the 2022 BMW Championship, but he remains a consistent tee-to-green performer. He was the best iron-player in the field at Pebble on Sunday, where he finished tied for 14th, and he is starting to get it right on the greens after a cold putter held him back at the AmEx and the Farmers. He has all the tools to put in an excellent showing at the Genesis Invitational.
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Genesis Invitational prediction: Sam Burns (+3500)
Odds available at bet365 at time of publishing.
Sam Burns knows what it’s like to contend at Riviera, finishing 3rd in 2021, having held the 54-hole lead, and last week’s 5-under-par final round sets the Louisiana man up nicely for another crack at the Genesis. Already a world-class putter, Burns, like Cantlay, sparked into life with his irons on Sunday and appears poised to produce a big week at a venue where he also finished 10th in 2024.
Genesis Invitational longshot pick: Maverick McNealy (+4500)
Odds available at bet365 at time of publishing.
Maverick McNealy was disappointed with 29th place at Pebble Beach, but he was solid from tee to green and should quickly bounce back from what was an uncharacteristically poor putting week. McNealy missed the 2021 Genesis cut by a shot on tournament debut, then finished 7th in 2022 when still ranked outside the world’s top 70. Now an established member of the PGA Tour elite, he can go one better than last year, when he was runner-up at Torrey Pines.
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