The PGA Tour continues this week as we head to Riviera Golf Course for the 2nd event of the year with an increased prize pool. $20mil will be on offer this week at the Genesis Invitational and we have you covered with a full preview and betting tips for the event below.
PGA Tour Genesis Invitational Betting Tips
Thursday 16th - Sunday 19th February (Aus start time: Friday 1.40am)
It was another solid week on the PGA Tour as we hit some of our best bets on the week. While our top pick Rory McIlroy could only muster a T32, we had other solid placings with Justin Thomas finishing 4th and Hideki Matsuyama saluting a place bet. We’ll be hunting more winners this week as we preview what has become the most anticipated event of the year so far, for one massive reason!
The Field
With a boosted prize pool of $20 million on the line this week, the field is obviously jam packed full of talent, but one name has absolutely dominated the headlines all week as Tiger Woods announced that he will be making his long awaited return to the PGA Tour.
Woods will find himself lower in the betting markets than we are used to seeing him, but will still headline the field alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and the new No.1 player in the world, Scottie Scheffler.
Past winners of the Genesis Invitational who will be looking to add another trophy to the case this week include Max Homa, Adam Scott, J.B. Holmes and James Hahn. Aussie Cam Smith is the only player inside the top 20 in the world who will not be in attendance this week.
The Course
Designed by course architect George C. Thomas Jr in 1926, the Riviera Country Club has hosted three major championships. The US Open in 1948 and the PGA Championship in both 1983 and 1995, the latter of which was won by Australian Steve Elkington. The course plays as a Par 71 at just over 7,300 yards and will provide a bit of a different challenge to the one golfers faced in Arizona last week.
Riviera is quite a long course that boasts extremely tricky fairways to hit. Players will need to be accurate off the tee to find the best angles of approach, proven by past winners of the tournament being extremely accurate and creative off the tee in the likes of Scott, Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson.
Betting Tips
Max Homa ($21)
Love the form both recently and at this course from Max Homa. The No.12 ranked player in the world is just a few weeks removed from a win at the Farmers Insurance Open and backed it up with a solid T39 in Phoenix last week. Is one of the best ball strikers in the world and has made Riviera a bit of a stomping ground in recent history, racking up a 5th, 1st and 10th in his last three years there.
Xander Schauffele ($21)
Tough to look past this guy at the moment. He is arguably the most in form golfer who is yet to pick up a win on the PGA Tour this season, so you feel like his turn is coming up soon. Was great in Phoenix before a bit of a disappointing final round saw him drop to a 10th place finish. Has finished 4th, 3rd, 13th and 10th in his last four starts and has an average finishing position of 15th in his last 5 trips to Riviera.
Adam Scott ($51)
The Aussie has probably the best record of any golfer at Riviera. In 14 trips to Riviera in the past, he has made the cut 13 times, finished in the top 10 seven times and has two wins. Hasn’t missed a cut on the PGA Tour this year either.
Beau Hossler ($126)
Like how Hossler is rounding into form at the moment. The American is ranked 129th in the world but has put on some impressive performances in the PGA Tour over the last few weeks, finishing T11 at Pebble Beach before a T14 finish in Phoenix last week.
Patrick Rodgers ($126)
Like Rodgers for some value here. Knows the Riviera course extremely well, having played the last seven events there, racking up five top 30 finishes in that span. Also impressed in Phoenix last weekend with a T14 finish.
Max Homa Top 20 ($2.05)
Xander Schauffele Top 20 ($1.95)
Adam Scott Top 30 ($2.15)
Beau Hossler Top 40 ($2.25)
Patrick Rodgers Top 40 ($2.25)
GENESIS INV. BETTING TIPS
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