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 serious early-season money and FedExCup points.
Joaquin Niemann, who won here last year, has been banned by the PGA Tour for teeing it up in LIV Golf events, so the tournament will be without its reigning champion.
Fear not: tournament host Tiger Woods makes his 2023 debut and will be joined by several of the tour’s top-ranked players, headlined by last week’s winner in Phoenix, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
As we do each week, here’s a rundown of facts and figures to get you prepped for the PGA Tour’s week in Los Angeles.
The Skinny
The Genesis Invitational
Dates:Â Feb. 16-19, 2023
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: 134 players
Format: Low stroke, 72-holes
Cut: After 36 holes
Purse: $20,000,000
Winning Share: $3,600,000
FedExCup Pts: 550
OWGR Pts: 65
2022 Champion:Â Joaquin Niemann
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: Thu-Fri: 9:45 a.m.-8 p.m. ET (ESPN+); Sat: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (ESPN+); Sun: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
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 | Twitter
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.
Macdonald Smith and Lloyd Mangrum – two great, but largely forgotten, players – share the all-time wins record with four (4) titles apiece.
Other notable tournament winners include Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Billy Casper, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Nick Faldo, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott and Dustin Johnson.
The Los Angeles Open 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. In 2022 it became one of the tour’s “elevated” events, offering a $20 million purse and $3.6 million to the winner.
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
2022: Joaquin Niemann (-19)
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: 2022 Genesis Invitational
A tournament dating back to 1926, the last time the Genesis Invitational saw a wire-to-wire champion, man was still six months away from landing on the moon for the first time. That was in 1969. Now, we have robots on Mars and Joaquin Niemann, a 23-year-old Chilean star, led after each round of this year’s Genesis, winning by two over world No. 2 Collin Morikawa and Tour rookie Cameron Young.
At 19-under 265 for the week, Niemann was just a stroke short of the 72-hole tournament record set by Lanny Wadkins back in 1985, making it the event with the longest-standing tournament record score.
Young shot a 1-under 70 to finish T2, the second time he has recorded that result in nine starts of his rookie season. At October’s Sanderson Farms Championship, he finished one stroke behind Sam Burns.
2022 Genesis Invitational: Final Top-10
Pos-Player-To Par (Final Rd)
1. Joaquin Niemann -19 (E)
2. Collin Morikawa -17 (-6)
2. Cameron Young -17 (-1)
4. Adam Scott -14 (-5)
4. Viktor Hovland -14 (-1)
6. Justin Thomas -13 (-1)
7. Maverick McNealy -12 (-2)
7. Scottie Scheffler -12 (-2)
9. C.T. Pan -11 (-4)
10. Chez Reavie -10 (-5)
10. Rory McIlroy -10 (-3)
10. Max Homa -10 (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 many of the PGA Tour’s top-ranked players.
Top 10: Scottie Scheffler (1), Rory McIlroy (2), Jon Rahm (3), Patrick Cantlay (5), Xander Schauffele (6), Justin Thomas (7), Collin Morikawa (8), Will Zalatoris (9), Matt Fitzpatrick (10).
Top 20: Viktor Hovland (11), Max Homa (12), Tony Finau (13), Sam Burns (14), Tom Kim (15), Jordan Spieth (16), Cameron Young (17), Sungjae Im (18) and Hideki Matsuyama (20).
Other marquee names: Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Adam Scott, Gary Woodland and Tiger Woods.
Top-5 Betting Favorites
1. Jon Rahm (8-1)
2. Rory McIlroy (11-1)
2. Scottie Scheffler (11-1)
4. Justin Thomas (16-1)
5. Xander Schauffele (18-1)
5. Tony Finau (18-1)
Full Field & Odds
Genesis Invitational | Riviera CC | Pacific Palisades, CA | Feb 16-19, 2023
