The PGA Tour heads back to California after a week across the border in Arizona for the Genesis Invitational at historic Rivieria Country Club.
The long-running tournament, the finale of the five-event “West Coast Swing,” provides yet another opportunity for the players to rack up some early-season money and FedExCup points.
Max Homa returns to hometown to defend his 2021 title. The L.A. native will be joined by all ten of the world’s top-10 ranked players.
As we do each week, here’s a rundown of facts and figures to get you prepped for the Genesis Invitational.
The Skinny
The Genesis Invitational
Dates:Â Feb. 17-20, 2022
PGA Tour Debut: 1926
PGA TOUR Week: 16th (of 43)
Course:Â Riviera CC
Where: Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Distance: Par 71/7322 yards
Architect: George Thomas Jr., William Bell (1926)
Field: 120 players
Format: Low stroke, 72-holes
Cut: After 36 holes
Purse: $12,000,000
Winning Share: $2,100,000
FedExCup Pts: 550
OWGR Pts: 70
2021 Champion:Â Max Homa
How to Follow The Genesis Invitational
TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 4-8 p.m. (GOLF); Sat: 1-3 p.m. (GOLF); 3-7 p.m. (CBS); Sun: 1-3 (GOLF), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS)
PGA TOUR LIVE (ESPN+): Thu-Fri: 9:45 a.m.-8 p.m. ET (Main Feed, Marquee, Groups, Holes); Sat: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (Main Feed, Marquee, Groups, Holes); Sun: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (Main Feed, Marquee, Groups, Holes)
RADIO: Thu-Fri: 2-8 p.m.; Sat: 2-7 p.m.; Sun: 1-6:30 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM)
LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
History: Genesis Invitational
Long known as the Los Angeles Open, and more recently the Northern Trust Open, the Genesis Invitational has been held at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades (a neighborhood in the west-side region of L.A.) for most of its history.
The inaugural tournament was contested in 1926 with American Harry Cooper capturing the very first trophy, along with a check for $3,500.
Notable tournament winners include Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Billy Casper, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Nick Faldo, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson.
Macdonald Smith and Lloyd Mangrum – two great, but largely forgotten, players – own a record four (4) wins apiece.
The Genesis Invitational has been the site of some historically significant events: in 1938, legendary female athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias became the first woman to play a men’s professional golf event. Zaharias, who had only taken up golf three years earlier, after spending years as a track and field superstar, shot opening rounds of 81 and 84 and missed the cut.
In 1992, the then-titled Nissan Los Angeles Open was the site of Tiger Woods‘ first PGA Tour start. As a 16-year old high school sophomore, the amateur Woods shot 72-75 (+5) to miss the cut.
Riviera Country Club, has hosted three major championships, most recently the 1995 PGA Championship, claimed by Steve Elkington in a playoff over Colin Montgomerie.
Managed by the Tiger Woods Foundation, the former Genesis Open was elevated to an ‘Invitational’ in 2020, joining the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Jack Nicklaus‘ Memorial Tournament as one of three elite invitational stops. These three invitationals have reduced fields (120 instead of 144), much larger purses ($2.1 million to winner), 550 FedEx Cup points (instead of 500), and a three-year tour exemption (instead of two).
History: Tournament Titles
Genesis Invitational (2020-Present)
Genesis Open (2017-19)
Northern Trust Open (2008-16)
Nissan Open (1995-07)
Nissan Los Angeles Open (1989-94)
Los Angeles Open presented by Nissan (1987-88)
Los Angeles Open (1984-86)
Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open (1971-83)
Los Angeles Open (1926-70)
History: Recent Champions
2021: Max Homa (-12)
2020: Adam Scott (-11)
2019: J.B. Holmes (-14)
2018: Bubba Watson (-12)
2017: Dustin Johnson (-17)
2016: Bubba Watson (-15)
2015: James Hahn (-6)
2014: Bubba Watson (-15)
History: Records
Wins:
4 – Macdonald Smith (1928-29, 1932, 1934)
4 – Lloyd Mangrum (1949, 1951, 1953, 1956)
72-Hole Score:
264 (-20) – Lanny Wadkins (1985)
18-Hole Score:
61 (-10) – Ted Tryba (1999, Rd 3)
The Vault: 2021 Genesis Invitational
Max Homa shot a final-round 66 at Riviera Country Club, and then edged Tony Finau in a playoff to claim victory at The 2022 Genesis Invitational.
A Los Angeles native, Homa finished his final day in Pacific Palisades with a bogey-free scorecard, highlighted by five birdies, to reach 12-under par and join Finau in a playoff.
After each posted 4s on the first playoff hole (No. 10), Homa clinched the title with a clutch birdie on the par-4 14th.
Sam Burns, the 18-,36-, and 54-hole leader, appeared on cruise control, and was 13-under par through 11 holes, but three bogeys in a four-hole stretch (Nos. 12, 14, and 15) sent him home with a solo third-place finish at 11-under par.
Final Top-5 Finishers
Pos-Player-Score (Final Rd)
1. Max Homa -12 (-5)
2. Tony Finau -12 (-6)
3. Sam Burns -11 (-2)
4. Cameron Smith -9 (-4)
5. Jon Rahm -7 (-5)
5. Viktor Hovland -7 (-4)
5. Matthew Fitzpatrick -7 (E)
Field: World Rank & Odds
With the World Golf Championships being phased out, the PGA Tour’s big three invitationals (Genesis, Arnold Palmer, and Memorial) appear to becoming their replacements, offering massive purses, and more points. With that: the field this week in Los Angeles is absolutely stacked, and includes all ten of the world’s top-10 ranked players, and 13 of the top-15.
Top 15: Jon Rahm (1), Collin Morikawa (2), Patrick Cantlay (3), Viktor Hovland (4), Rory McIlroy (5), Dustin Johnson (6), Xander Schauffele (7), Justin Thomas (8), Scottie Scheffler (9) and Hideki Matsuyama (10), Cameron Smith (11), Jordan Spieth (14), Brooks Koepka (No. 15).
Sam Burns (16), Tony Finau (19), Matt Fitzpatrick (23), Sungjae Im (24), Patrick Reed (26), Paul Casey (27), Marc Leishman (36), Sergio Garcia (48 ) and Bubba Watson (53) are some of the other marquee names.
Top-5 Betting Favorites
1. Jon Rahm (9-1)
2. Patrick Cantlay (12-1)
3. Justin Thomas (16-1)
4. Dustin Johnson (18-1)
5. Rory McIlroy (20-1)
5. Collin Morikawa (20-1)
Full Field & Odds
Genesis Invitational | Riviera CC | Pacific Palisades, CA | Feb 17-20, 2022
